State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors public meetings in 2021

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The Board found Steven R. Miller and Miller Funeral Home, Inc. guilty of multiple violations including burial permit failures and unethical conduct. The Board also approved the hiring of a part-time administrative staff member and renewed a three-year contract for the Hearing Officer and Attorney.

• Fined Steven R. Miller and Miller Funeral Home, Inc. $19,198.25 in total fines and fees
• Approved hiring a part-time clerical administrator (unanimous)
• Renewed contract for Hearing Officer and Attorney John Becknell for three years (unanimous)
• Accepted Inspector's report of 490 total 2021 inspections (unanimous)
• Approved November meeting minutes (unanimous)
• Accepted FY 21/22 financial report (unanimous)
• Accepted Complaint Review Committee report including three informal hearings (unanimous)

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors will hold a formal hearing regarding Professional Funeral Service of New Orleans. The board will also discuss an update on a complaint filed with the Mississippi Board of Funeral Service concerning Arthur Johnson and Rollins Funeral Home, and a letter sent to 1st Call Mortuary Transport regarding unlicensed practices. Additionally, the board will consider changing the funeral director examination from the SBE to the LRR, and appoint a delegate for the ICFSEB Conference in February 2022.

• Formal Hearing: In the Matter of Professional Funeral Service, New Orleans
• Update on complaint to MS Board re Arthur Johnson and Rollins Funeral Home
• Letter to 1st Call Mortuary Transport re unlicensed/unauthorized practices
• Funeral director examination – SBE v LRR – replacing SBE with LRR
• Delegate for the ICFSEB Conference in February 2022

The Board fined Malcolm Gibson and Herbert Johnson for failing to list a decedent's wife on a death certificate. The Board also updated licensing examination options for funeral directors and modified financial account oversight.

• Fined Malcolm Gibson $2,500 and Herbert Johnson $2,500 for unprofessional conduct (7-0)
• Ordered Professional Funeral Services, Inc. to pay $6,461.25 in attorney fees
• Approved allowing funeral director only candidates to choose between the LRR or SBE examination
• Nominated President Rodney McFarland for a delegate grant to attend the annual meeting in Houston, TX
• Added Heidi Penouilh's signature to all financial accounts
• Accepted Executive Director's and Inspector's reports as presented
• Approved October meeting minutes as presented
• Accepted financial report and budget for FY 20/21 as presented

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors will meet via Zoom on October 12, 2021, with no public attendance allowed. The agenda includes hearings on two admission and consent matters (Delores Robinson/Robinson Family Mortuary and Darrell Calvey/Wright and Calvey Funeral Home), a complaint letter to the Mississippi Board of Funeral Service, and a review of a license application. Also scheduled are an executive director’s report, inspector’s report, financial report for FY 2020/21, and an executive session.

• Admission and Consent: Delores Robinson and Robinson Family Mortuary, Pineville
• Admission and Consent: Darrell Calvey and Wright and Calvey Funeral Home, Hammond
• Complaint letter to MS Board of Funeral Service re Arthur Johnson/Rollins Funeral Home removal in Baton Rouge
• License application review
• Financial report – budget for FY 20/21

The Board found Delores Robinson and Darrell Calvey guilty of multiple statutory violations, including unlawful practice and failing to respect next-of-kin rights. Both were fined and placed on probation. The Board also elected its 2022 officers.

• Fined Delores Robinson and Robinson Family Mortuary $5,000 and ordered $1,563.75 in attorney fees (6-0)
• Placed Delores Robinson on probation for 365 days (6-0)
• Fined Darrell Calvey and Wright and Calvey Funeral Home $20,000, with $10,000 suspended on one year probation (7-0)
• Ordered Darrell Calvey to pay $3,135.00 in attorney fees (7-0)
• Approved one license application (unanimous)
• Upheld Executive Director's rejection of certain college courses for licensing requirements (unanimous)
• Accepted Executive Director's, Inspector's, and financial reports (unanimous)
• Elected 2022 officers: Rodney McFarland (President), Willie Davis, Jr. (VP), Terry Luneau (Secretary), Shelton Dixon (Treasurer) (unanimous)

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The Board will conduct a formal hearing regarding Golden Meadows Funeral Home in St. Martinville. The agenda includes reviews of license applications, attorney contracts, and updates on laws and rules.

• Formal Hearing: In the Matter of Golden Meadows Funeral Home, St. Martinville
• Contract review and decision regarding Prosecuting Attorney Chanel Debose
• Review of AG Opinion #21-0052 regarding online record keeping renewals
• Review of letter from Renaissance regarding manager replacement during a 30 day license suspension
• Review of letter from Coroner of East Baton Rouge Parish regarding decedent removal

The Board found Andrew Stevenson and Golden Meadows Funeral Home guilty of unprofessional conduct and burial transit permit violations. The Board also approved a new contract for the Prosecuting Attorney and accepted the Executive Director and Inspector reports.

• Fined Andrew Stevenson and Golden Meadows Funeral Home $13,730.75 in total fines and fees (Unanimous)
• Approved new contract for Prosecuting Attorney Ms. Debose (Unanimous)
• Approved a pending license application (Unanimous)
• Approved motion to file a complaint with the Mississippi State Board of Funeral Service regarding Rollins Funeral Home (Unanimous)
• Accepted Executive Director and Inspector reports (Unanimous)
• Accepted June 22, 2021 meeting minutes (Unanimous)
• Accepted FY 20/21 financial report and budget (Unanimous)
• Accepted Complaint Review Committee report (Unanimous)

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors will meet via Zoom with no public attendance allowed. The board will consider a consent matter involving W. Mack and Renaissance Services of Gonzales, review an update on online operations for funeral homes, and discuss license applications. The Laws & Rules Committee meeting scheduled for June 18 has been cancelled and rescheduled for July 9. Reports from the executive director, inspector, and a financial report for FY 2020-2021 will also be presented.

• Consent matter: W. Mack and Renaissance Services, Gonzales
• Update on online operations for funeral homes
• License application review
• Laws & Rules Committee meeting cancelled, rescheduled to July 9
• Financial report for FY 2020-2021

The provided document is a meeting agenda rather than minutes; it does not record any decisions, votes, or outcomes. The Laws & Rules Committee meeting scheduled for June 18, 2021, was cancelled and rescheduled for July 9, 2021.

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The board will vote on a resolution for Karen Trass Teamer and a temporary license extension request for Jason Dickinson. It will also receive updates from the Laws & Rules Committee, the Executive Director (including new licenses and website development), the Inspector, and the Complaint Review Committee. The meeting will conclude with an executive session for board-staff discussion.

• Resolution for Karen Trass Teamer
• Temporary license extension request for Jason Dickinson
• Update from Laws & Rules Committee meeting of May 10, 2021
• Executive Director's report on Certemy website development, new licenses, reinstatements, and internships
• Inspector's report

The Board approved a cease and desist order for Martin and Castille Funeral Home regarding an unlicensed online business operation. The Board also denied a request to extend a temporary license for Jason Dickinson. Various administrative reports and the April 13, 2021, minutes were approved.

• Approved cease and desist order for Martin and Castille Funeral Home (unanimous)
• Denied temporary license extension request for Jason Dickinson (unanimous)
• Accepted Executive Director's licensing report (unanimous)
• Accepted Inspector's report (unanimous)
• Approved April 13, 2021 minutes with correction to city name (unanimous)
• Accepted financial report and budget for FY 20/21 (unanimous)
• Accepted Complaint Review Committee report (unanimous)

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The Board will meet via Zoom to discuss updates to complaint review procedures and request an Attorney General's opinion regarding online operations. The agenda also includes reviews of license reinstatements, budget reports, and inspector updates.

• Resolution for updated Complaint Review Committee procedure/process
• Resolution to request Attorney General’s Opinion on online recordkeeping
• Review of license reinstatement procedures
• Discussion regarding LA R.S. 37:842 H.
• FY 20/21 budget financial report

The Board suspended the license of Andrew Stevenson and Golden Meadows Funeral Home for failing to respond to a complaint and a subpoena. The Board also approved resolutions to allow informal conferences during complaint investigations and to seek an Attorney General's opinion on an online licensing portal.

• Suspended Andrew Stevenson's funeral director and embalmer license (#E2139) for 30 days (April 19 to May 18, 2021)
• Ordered Andrew Stevenson to provide the name and license number of a manager for Golden Meadows Funeral Home during the suspension
• Ordered Inspector Jude Daigle to perform periodic inspections of Golden Meadows Funeral Home during the suspension
• Approved resolution to allow the Complaint Review Committee to conduct informal conferences (7-0)
• Approved resolution to request an Attorney General's opinion on implementing an online portal for licenses (7-0)
• Accepted Executive Director's and Inspector's reports (unanimous)
• Approved minutes from January 12, 2021 and March 9, 2021 (unanimous)
• Accepted financial report and budget for FY 20/21 (unanimous)

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors will meet via Zoom on March 9, 2021, with no public attendance allowed. The board will consider resolutions for two individuals, discuss out-of-state funeral home advertising and operations, review and potentially adopt a social media policy, and receive financial and inspector reports. An executive session for board/staff issues is also scheduled.

• Resolutions for Opeary Mae Hill Loche (U-970) and George B. Tennant, Sr. (E-1510)
• Discussion of out-of-state funeral home advertisement and operations within Louisiana
• Social media policy review – resolution to adopt
• Financial report – budget for FY 20/21
• Executive session for board/staff issues

The Board approved a new social media policy to improve transparency and management. It also took action on several licensee complaints and referred a Texas-based funeral home to general counsel for operating without a license in Louisiana.

• Adopted Social Media Policy for office staff and members (8-0)
• Approved issuing a second subpoena to Andrew Stevenson
• Referred Esperanza Funeral Home to General Counsel for operating without a Louisiana license
• Scheduled formal hearing for complaint 19.20.0024
• Found no violation for complaints 19.20.0010, 20.21.0012, 20.21.0014, and 20.21.0015
• Tabled complaint 19.20.0011 pending civil litigation
• Scheduled informal hearing for complaint 19.20.0013
• Accepted Executive Director's, Inspector's, and financial reports

State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

The Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors meets via Zoom with no public attendance allowed. The board will consider renewing a contract with the AG/DOJ for legal services expiring June 30, 2021, and discuss an inquiry regarding cremation societies, registry, licensing, and advertising. Other items include ADA compliance, internship applications with legal matters, and election of officers for 2021.

• Contract with AG/DOJ for legal services to be renewed (expires June 30, 2021)
• Inquiry regarding cremation societies, registry, licensing, and advertising
• ADA compliance discussion, specifically hiring an interpreter
• Internship applications from Javonda Ross, Connie Matthews, Kevin Harris, and Kainan McAllister with legal matters
• Election of officers for 2021

The Board found Constance M. Selico and Murray Henderson Funeral Home guilty of multiple violations, including malpractice for wrongfully cremating remains against family wishes. The Board also approved a new legal services contract with the Department of Justice and elected new officers for 2021.

• Approved Admission and Consent for Constance Selico and Murray Henderson Funeral Home: total cost of $23,075 ($12,000 suspended), leaving $11,075 due (unanimous)
• Approved contract for Attorney General-Department of Justice for July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024, not to exceed $55,000 per year (8-0)
• Approved removal of Certificates of Recommendation from licensing applications (unanimous)
• Approved use of stamped signatures for wall certificates (unanimous)
• Accepted Inspector's report (unanimous)
• Accepted August and September 2020 minutes (unanimous)
• Accepted FY 20/21 financial report (unanimous)
• Elected 2021 Officers: President McFarland, Vice President Rhodes, Secretary Davis, Treasurer Luneau