04/08/2015

Senate Bill 61 Testimony

TESTIMONY OF BRADLEY CHUTE, SECRETARY

OHIO FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

IN SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 61

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BEFORE THE SENATE HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

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March 25, 2015

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Chair Jones, Vice-Chair Lehner, Ranking Member Tavares and members of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee, I am Bradley Chute and I am appearing today in my capacity as Secretary of the Ohio Funeral Directors Association (OFDA), a statewide association of 910 funeral homes and approximately 2,300 funeral professionals throughout the State of Ohio.  I am a licensed funeral director with Vensil & Chute Funeral Homes, a family-owned business with locations in Newark, Dresden and Frazeyburg, Ohio.

OFDA supports Senator Jim Hughes’s efforts to protect identity theft of deceased relatives or close friends. OFDA believes the five year restriction on access to copies of death certificates to the entities authorized in S.B. 61 is a reasonable balance between access and protecting one’s identity.

We do support adding another category of person who should be authorized to receive copies of a death certificate that contain a social security number.  Back in 2006, the OFDA worked with various stakeholders relating to establishing a process so that a person can assign the right of their disposition to any person they desire by executing a written document in accordance Ohio Revised Code Sections 2108.70 and 2108.72.  One of the impetuses for the law change back then related to individuals who want to make an anatomical gift for purposes of helping to save another life or donating their body to science.  These Revised Code sections authorize a person to appoint a representative to exercise their right of disposition, regardless of whether the person is a spouse or lineal descendant.  It’s not uncommon that a person has no close living family members and they may want to appoint a trusted friend to carry out their disposition. 

Senator Hughes’s office has sent an LSC drafted amendment to the OFDA which adds the additional category of person we have suggested to be authorized to receive copies of a death certificate that contain a social security number. A copy of the amendment is included with my testimony. With this as a background, I appreciate the opportunity to testify in support of S.B. 61 and am happy to answer any questions.