Senate BillChaptered/SignedBusiness and Professions
SB 777: Abandoned cemeteries: report.
What SB 777 does, verified December 8, 2025
A new law would require the state to convene a workgroup to discuss options for abandoned cemeteries. The workgroup must consist of representatives from the cemetery, county government, and other stakeholders. The focus will be on requiring counties to assume responsibility for maintenance, irrigation, public works, and burial services for these cemeteries. The state will need to submit a report to the legislature summarizing the workgroup's discussions and recommendations by June 1, 2026. This new law will replace existing provisions that were set to expire on January 1, 2027.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 658, Statutes of 2025. (2025-10-11)Alert me
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| Oct. 11, 2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 658, Statutes of 2025. |
| Oct. 11, 2025 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 23, 2025 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. |
| Sep. 12, 2025 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 3006.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Sep. 12, 2025 | From committee: That the Assembly amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 3064.) |
Latest bill textChaptered version, October 11, 2025 · 442 words
Senate Bill No. 777
CHAPTER 658
An act to amend Section 7612.12 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to cemeteries.
[ Approved by Governor October 11, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 11, 2025. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 777, Richardson. Abandoned cemeteries: report.
Existing law, the Cemetery and Funeral Act, establishes the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of cemeteries, crematories, funeral establishments, and their personnel. Existing law requires the bureau, on or before July 1, 2027, to convene a workgroup composed of representatives from the cemetery, county government, and other interested stakeholders to discuss options for ensuring continued care, maintenance, and embellishment of abandoned cemeteries, including the possibility of requiring counties to assume responsibility for abandoned cemeteries. Existing law requires the bureau to submit a report to the Legislature summarizing the workgroup’s discussions and its recommendations by January 1, 2028. Existing law repeals those provisions on January 1, 2029.
This bill would instead require the bureau to convene the workgroup on or before March 1, 2026, would revise the list of representatives required to be included in the workgroup, and would instead require the workgroup to discuss the possibility of requiring counties to assume responsibility for maintenance, irrigation, public works, and burial services for abandoned cemeteries. The bill would require the board to submit the report on June 1, 2026, and would repeal those provisions on January 1, 2027.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 7612.12 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:7612.12.
(a) On or before March 1, 2026, the bureau shall convene a workgroup composed of interested stakeholders including, but not limited to, representatives from the cemetery industry, the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, the Urban Counties of California, the Rural County Representatives of California, public cemeteries, and legislative staff for the appropriate committees of the Legislature, to discuss options for ensuring continued care, maintenance, and embellishment of abandoned cemeteries, including the possibility of requiring counties to assume responsibility for maintenance, irrigation, public works, and burial services for cemeteries located within their boundaries that become abandoned.(b) In accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, the bureau shall submit a report to the Legislature summarizing the discussions of the workgroup and its recommendations no later than June 1, 2026.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.
Text of SB 777 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions