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Washington Report
The ICCFA keeps members informed of relevant legislative and legal activities through several vehicles, including "Washington Report," a column that appears in each edition of ICCFA Magazine. All editions of the column since 1999 appear below.
March - April 2008: The view on Capitol Hill for 2008
February 2008 ICCFA joins tax relief coalition; US District Court clarifies MD decision; AARP's magazine attacks prepaid funerals again
January 2008 Survey finds fewer funeral complaints submitted to Federal Trade Commission; AARP: More than 60 percent of people age 50 and over never solicited for preneed; New ICCFA benefit: Model Cremation Authorization Form
December 2007 Death care workers now higher on proposed pandemic flu shot priority list; Court's Maryland funeral decision confusing; New ICCFA benefit: Cremation Legal advice
November 2007: Mass Fatalities group meets with feds to plan the unthinkable
October 2007: ICCFA testifies before Congress for restoration of burial benefits
August - September 2007: Court rules that burial insurance policy limited to face amount; Procedural vote kills union bill-for now; Court: University not obliged to track donated bodies
July 2007: Capitol Hill roundup: Bills that could impact your business
June 2007: ICCFA supports end to Maryland law banning most corporate funeral homes
May 2007: House bill would restore VA plot and marker allowances
March - April 2007: Union bill introduced in House
February 2007: ICCFA Alarmed at Congressional Proposal to End Employee "Secret Ballot" in Labor Union Elections
January 2007: ICCFA Opposes FL Hospice Application to Offer Funeral/Burial/Cremation Services
December 2006: Michigan monument builders class action suit dismissed
November 2006: ICFA, NFDA co-chair meeting on mass fatalities planning; FAMIC endorses emergency licensing policy
October 2006: 'Cash advance' suit falters; Court reverses finding on diocese property
August - September 2006: Flu reports: We're not ready
July 2006: New IRS regulations may help cemeteries and funeral homes; Funeral Rule recommendations before fall?; Cemetery consumer council announces 2005 results
June 2006: ICFA team visits lawmakers
May 2006: Groups discuss flu pandemic
March - April 2006: Bill proposed on tissue sales
February 2006: Monument builders file suit
January 2006: 2006: The past is prologue
December 2005: Why we must lobby: More truths
November 2005: Why we must lobby: 10 truths of dealing with Big Government
October 2005: FTC corrects 'cash advance' ruling
August-September 2005: ICFA analyzes funeral-related complaints filed with FTC
July 2005: Decision in favor of cemetery stands
June 2005: ICFA testifies on burial benefits
May 2005: ICFA submits brief in grave opening/closing litigation
March-April 2005: Court rules on grave opening/closing rights
February 2005: Lobby now for changes in streamlined sales tax
January 2005: Dodd does it again
December 2004: ICFA PAC builds relationships
November 2004: Florida Supreme Court Says Cemetery's Marker Regulations Do Not Violate Religious Freedom Laws
October 2004: What Happened to the Dodd/Foley Bills?
August-September 2004: Behind the scenes: How the ICFA Takes Its Stand on the Issues
July 2004: New IRS Procedure Allows Tax Deferrals on Prepaid Funeral, Cemetery Contracts
June 2004: ICFA Files Comments On Proposed Anti-Spam Rules; Cremation Containers Affected By New Airline Security Regulations
May 2004: Congressman Submits Federal Death Care Disclosure Act; The Gathering Storm
March - April 2004: Courts to Funeral Service: Don't Litigate, Legislate
February 2004: FTC Consumer Complaints: Low Volume, Many Funeral Rule Related; US Tax Court: Preneed Funds Not Taxable Until Contract Is Performed
January 2004: What You Need to Know About The Streamlined Sales Tax Project
December 2003: FTC Staff Reconsidering Nonprofits' Exemption From 'Do Not Call' Rule; Senate Increases Its Funeral Benefit Allowance
November 2003: What the GAO Report Did Not Contain; Telemarketers Should Comply With "Do Not Call"
October 2003: Dodd Releases GAO Report on State Death Care Regulation, Enforcement; Do Not Call Registry Deadline October 1
August-September 2003: FCC Will Use FTC Telemarketing "Do Not Call" Registry for Intrastate Calls
July 2003: ICFA Joins Elder Justice Coalition in Support of Congressional Legislation
June 2003: Perspective on preneed: Be careful what you wish for--you just might get it
May 2003: Labor Department Proposes Revisions To Overtime Pay and Exemptions; ICFA Establishes Federal Political Action Committee
March-April 2003: Amendment to law encourages preneed planning; Amended Telemarketing Sales Rule; Update on the Dodd bill
February 2003: Amended FTC telemarketing sales rule retains 'appointment call' exemption, adds 'no call' list; Oklahoma federal court upholds state casket law restriction
January 2003: GAO Meets with State Groups, Officials; Appeal to Keep Casket Sales Restriction Fails
December 2002: ICFA Testifies at FTC Public Workshop on Internet Casket Sales
November 2002: Dodd Plans to Introduce Historic Legislation to Regulate Industry
October 2002: Seven steps to building a relationship with your congressional delegation
September 2002: Online Casket Sales Are Focus of New FTC Hearings; Court Blocks Injunction Prohibiting Cemetery from Removing Flags
August 2002: Recent court decisions highlight operational issues
June-July 2002: ICFA Testifies at FTC Hearings on Telemarkting Sales Rule; Congressman Proposes Private Pilot Program for National Cemeteries
May 2002: ICFA submits comments on FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule
April 2002: Georgia cremation scandal prompts consideration of federal oversight; ICFA responds to U.S. News & World Report article about cemeteries
March 2002: FTC proposes amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule; President Bush's 2003 budget proposes more national cemeteries
January/February 2002: ICFA files brief in Florida Supreme Court on cemetery marker restrictions; VA now can furnish second marker in private cemeteries
December 2001: OSHA postpones parts of injury/illness reporting form, expands exemptions
November 2001: Consumer cemetery complaints indicate no Funeral Rule violations
October 2001: Multistate Tax Commission adopts ICFA Model Law on funeral trusts; ICFA responds to anti-preneed story in The New York Times
August-September 2001: ICFA submits comments as OSHA develops new ergonomics program
July 2001: Beware the fine print in the tax relief act
June 2001: Onerous OSHA ergonomics program repealed; Law school professor slated as new FTC commissioner
May 2001: New privacy act may affect some cemeteries and funeral homes
April 2001: IRS private letter rulings surprise industry
February-March 2001: Congressionally funded study supports OSHA ergonomics program
January 2001: ICFA files amicus brief in New York to overturn anti-competitive law; Lawsuit alleges harassment by funeral directors association in Pennsylvania
November-December 2000: Nonprofit Cemeteries and the Funeral Rule, an editorial commentary; Another federal court overturns a casket law
October 2000: Federal court rules Tennessee casket law unconstitutional
August-September 2000: The First National Symposium on Deathcare as a Consumer Issue
June-July 2000: The ICFA testifies against OSHA's ergonomics proposal, submits comments on the Telemarketing Sales Rule
April-May 2000: The ICFA testifies at Senate committee hearings on the funeral and burial industry
March 2000: Tax commission asks ICFA to draft model law on state income taxation of funeral trusts
February 2000: OSHA puts costly ergonomics proposal on fast track
January 2000: FTC Funeral Rule workshop provides insights by the participants
December 1999: U.S. General Accounting Office investigative report of funeral-related industries finds few complaints
November 1999: IRS memo determines taxation of preneed funeral contract income
October 1999: Review of AARP, NFDA, FAMSA Comments on Funeral Rule
September 1999: FTC Receives Public Comments On Funeral Rule Review
August 1999: ICFA files comments on the FTC Funeral Rule
July 1999: ICFA publishes new model guidelines for state laws and regulations
June 1999: FTC initiates Funeral Rule review proceedings
May 1999: Nonprofit cemeteries exempt from FTC rulemaking
April 1999: ICFA meets with GAO staff to discuss federal preneed investigation
March 1999: U.S. GAO investigates industry practices, consumer complaints; VA National Cemetery Administration announces proposed FY2000 budget
February 1999: IRS provides additional guidance on preneed funeral trusts
January 1999: Industry challenges for 1999: Increased federal scrutiny, efforts to adopt uniform state laws; ICFA comments on proposed Canadian crematory regulations |
