Pennsylvania Settles Suit By Rabbi Challenging Funeral Director Law

AP reports  that the Pennsylvania Board of Funeral Directors has settled a federal lawsuit filed against it and other state officials by a Pittsburgh rabbi challenging the Board's requirement to use a licensed funeral director even when a funeral is supervised by a religious authority and there is no embalming or fee-for-service. (See prior posting.) Under the settlement agreement filed with the court yesterday, the state will not apply the Funeral Director Law to clergy and others carrying out their religious functions and beliefs, so long as the person does not advertise as a funeral director, engage commercially in the funeral business or perform embalming.