LITTLETON, Colo. — Major changes could be coming to Colorado’s funeral industry under a bill proposed by lawmakers Monday.
That bill would require that all new funeral directors in the state obtain a degree in their field, as well as a license.
It comes following several high-profile incidents at Colorado funeral homes in recent months, which have raised concerns about the state's funeral director requirements. Colorado remains the only state in the country that does not require a license to operate a funeral home.
“It hurts for the families, first and foremost,” said Ren Scherling, an instructor at Arapahoe Community College. “Instead of doing things right the first time, we’re seeing the stories come out the way they are.”
Arapahoe Community College is the only college in Colorado offering a degree in mortuary science.
Thursday, Scherling instructed students how to properly dress someone for an open casket funeral and detailed how to safely transfer the body into a casket.
One floor away, students were working with clay masks, learning how to do facial reconstruction for someone who may have passed in a traumatic incident.
“I think people are surprised by all the details that go into it, and what a wide range of skills a practitioner has to have.” Program Chair Fauth Haug said.
Haug says they only accept about 25% of applicants each year.
She declined to take a stance on the proposed legislation but did say they have no plans to reduce their enrollment requirements if the state changes the law.
“If the number of applicants increases, that’s just the higher quality of applicant I can choose from,” she said.
Haug says many of the college’s students come from other states that require licensure.
“Our students are excited about the possibility of being able to be licensed in their home state," Haug said. “In whole, the student reaction to what’s going in is they’re excited for it, and just waiting to see how everything shakes out.”
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