Compared to other states, Illinois takes lax approach toward funeral home oversight
<p>The<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/08/06/decomposing-bodies-found-funeral-home-south-chicago-chapel-95th-street" > gruesome discovery</a> of unrefrigerated, decomposing bodies at a South Deering funeral home two weeks ago exposed the dearth of oversight over Illinois' funeral home industry. </p><p> Illinois is one of a mere handful of states that, absent complaints, do not conduct regular inspections of funeral homes, according to a <a class="Link" href="https://theconferenceonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Regulations-in-Licensing-2025-Finalized.pdf" target="_blank" ><u>2025 </u></a>survey from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.</p><p>Illinois also is the only state that does not have a board or agency monitoring licensed funeral homes at their physical locations, the group said.</p><p>A recently signed law grants the state comptroller’s office more regulatory powers over cemeteries and crematories, but that purview doesn’t extend to funeral homes.
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<p>The<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/08/06/decomposing-bodies-found-funeral-home-south-chicago-chapel-95th-street" > gruesome discovery</a> of unrefrigerated, decomposing bodies at a South Deering funeral home two weeks ago exposed the dearth of oversight over Illinois' funeral home industry. </p><p> Illinois is one of a mere handful of states that, absent complaints, do not conduct regular inspections of funeral homes, according to a <a class="Link" href="https://theconferenceonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Regulations-in-Licensing-2025-Finalized.pdf" target="_blank" ><u>2025 </u></a>survey from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.</p><p>Illinois also is the only state that does not have a board or agency monitoring licensed funeral homes at their physical locations, the group said.</p><p>A recently signed law grants the state comptroller’s office more regulatory powers over cemeteries and crematories, but that purview doesn’t extend to funeral homes. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation regulates funeral director and embalmer licenses.</p><p>“That kind of fragmentation cannot help this situation,” says Wake Forest University Law Professor Tanya Marsh, who teaches estate law, and studies laws surrounding the treatment and disposition of human remains.</p><p>What was found at the South Chicago Chapel funeral home earlier this month has prompted calls from elected officials for more reforms. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago Heights, whose district includes the facility, called the situation “horrific” and said the legislature should have been “more proactive” in regulating the funeral home industry.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center> <div class="Enhancement-item" data-crop=""> <figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-1a0000" name="image-1a0000"></a> <picture data-crop="medium"> <source type="image/webp" width="490" height="275" data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bc4ff87/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6123x3436+0+323/resize/490x275!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe3%2F1a%2F212b407b2afa15dcb60c578df1df%2Fenergy-091621-07.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6efbd77/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6123x3436+0+323/resize/980x550!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe3%2F1a%2F212b407b2afa15dcb60c578df1df%2Fenergy-091621-07.JPG 2x" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=" /> <source width="490" height="275" data-srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/70fb58b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6123x3436+0+323/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe3%2F1a%2F212b407b2afa15dcb60c578df1df%2Fenergy-091621-07.JPG" data-lazy-load="true" srcset="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=" /> <img class="Image" alt="Sate Rep Marcus Evan speaks at the bill signing ceremony on Wednesday." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/70fb58b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6123x3436+0+323/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe3%2F1a%2F212b407b2afa15dcb60c578df1df%2Fenergy-091621-07.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/036c1c5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6123x3436+0+323/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe3%2F1a%2F212b407b2afa15dcb60c578df1df%2Fenergy-091621-07.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275" data-src="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/70fb58b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6123x3436+0+323/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe3%2F1a%2F212b407b2afa15dcb60c578df1df%2Fenergy-091621-07.JPG" data-lazy-load="true" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyNzVweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=" > </picture> <div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>State Rep.
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- <p>The<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/08/06/decomposing-bodies-found-funeral-home-south-chicago-chapel-95th-street" > gruesome discovery</a> of unrefrigerated, decomposing bodies at a South Deering funeral home two weeks ago exposed the dearth of oversight over Illinois' funeral home industry. </p><p> Illinois is one of a mere handful of states that, absent complaints, do not conduct regular inspections of funeral homes, according to a <a class="Link" href="https://theconferenceonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Regulations-in-Licensing-2025-Finalized.pdf" target="_blank" ><u>2025 </u></a>survey from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.</p><p>Illinois also is the only state that does not have a board or agency monitoring licensed funeral homes at their physical locations, the group said.</p><p>A recently signed law grants the state comptroller’s office more regulatory powers over cemeteries and crematories, but that purview doesn’t extend to funeral homes.
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Compared to other states, Illinois takes lax approach toward funeral home oversight
Sources1TypeCoverageChicago Sun-Times