Let’s Help Legalize Body Composting in Maryland!

Mar 26, 2023 | 0 comments

Natural organic reduction, or NOR (a.k.a. body composting), might become legal in Maryland! It could become the seventh state to legalize natural organic reduction – but we need your help right now. Here’s a video message about this from Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®.

Let's Help Legalize Body Composting in Maryland!

What is NOR/Body Composting?

Natural Organic Reduction body composting vessel

Body composting vessel and compost from the Natural Funeral.

As you may know, natural organic reduction or NOR is the process for the final disposition of human remains which converts them to soil in a controlled vessel.  Because it doesn’t directly consume fossil fuels, NOR is considered a “green” or eco-friendly funeral option that avoids carbon emissions – with some estimates that indicate it prevents a metric ton of CO2 in comparison to conventional burial or cremation methods.  You can find out more about natural organic reduction from recent articles in the National Geographic, Popular Science, Yahoo News and even the New York Post.

On behalf of my friends with GreenLegacy.com in my hometown of Silver Spring, I hope you’ll let your voice be heard. The state legislature is currently considering HB 1060 – Cremation – Natural Organic Reduction – Regulation. If it passes, this bill will legalize NOR in Maryland and allow the state oversight agencies to regulate it. You can find a copy of the bill here. The Maryland House of Delegates has already approved the bill and now it is in the Senate Finance Committee’s court to decide.

I am urging all my friends in Maryland to let the Finance Committee know you care. Sign up to testify. If you can’t sign up to testify, then send an email. If you can’t send an email, then call. We need you to speak up for HB 1060 and let your elected officials hear from you.  BUT ACT FAST – THE HEARING IS THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2023 AT 1PM.

You can do both/either of the following options:

  1. Email your written testimony to the committee. A list of the emails for committee members is below.
  2. Submit your written testimony through the MyMGA portal. You must submit during the hours of 8:00AM – 3:00PM on the day before the hearing (Tuesday, March 28). Please create an account, click “Witness Signup”, navigate to HB1060, select “Favorable with Amendments”, select “Written” from the Testimony drop down menu, and attach your written testimony (must be a PDF). Then scroll back to the top of the page and click “Save”. Please don’t navigate away from the page until it has processed your submission. You can check that it has been processed successfully by clicking “Signed Up Items” (next to the “Save” button).

Please send a courtesy copy of your testimony/emails to Delegate Anne Kaiser, the bill’s sponsor, at Anne.Kaiser@house.state.md.us. You can also call Legislative Aide Caroline Davenport at 301-858-3036 if you have any trouble.

Stay tuned to agoodgoodbye.com for updates and more news.  And thank you for getting involved.

Sen. Melony Griffith, Chair

Prince George’s County

410-841-3127melony.griffith@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Katherine Klausmeier, Vice-Chair Baltimore County410-841-3620katherine.klausmeier@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Pamela Beidle

Anne Arundel County

410-841-3593pamela.beidle@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Arthur Ellis

Charles County

410-841-3616arthur.ellis@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Dawn Gile

Anne Arundel County

410-841-3568dawn.gile@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Antonio Hayes

Baltimore City

410-841-3656antonio.hayes@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Stephen S. Hershey

Kent, Queen Anne’s, Cecil, Caroline

410-841-3762steve.hershey@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Benjamin F. Kramer

Montgomery County

410-841-3151Ben.Kramer@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Clarence K. Lam

Anne Arundel, Howard

410-841-3653clarence.lam@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Johnny Mautz

Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico

410-841-3590johnny.mautz@senate.state.md.us
Sen. Justin Ready

Frederick, Carroll

410-841-3683justin.ready@senate.state.md.us
Cut and Paste Committee-Wide Emailmelony.griffith@senate.state.md.us, katherine.klausmeier@senate.state.md.us, pamela.beidle@senate.state.md.us, arthur.ellis@senate.state.md.us, dawn.gile@senate.state.md.us, antonio.hayes@senate.state.md.us, steve.hershey@senate.state.md.us, Ben.Kramer@senate.state.md.us, clarence.lam@senate.state.md.us, johnny.mautz@senate.state.md.us, justin.ready@senate.state.md.us
A Good Goodbye