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<section article="gbr" article_name="Business Regulation" number="5-710" title_number="5" title_name="Cemeteries" subtitle_number="7" subtitle_name="Preneed Burial Contracts">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Each seller shall keep detailed records of all preneed burial contracts and specific funds.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The records of each seller and of each trustee appointed by the seller are subject to examination by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the Director;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the Attorney General or an authorized representative of the Attorney General; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the State’s Attorney for the county where the seller does business.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Each seller subject to the trust requirements of this subtitle shall submit a report to the Director within 150 days after the close of each calendar or other fiscal year chosen by the seller.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The report shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>be on the form that the Director requires;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>be certified by a certified public accountant retained by the seller;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>be accompanied by a trustee’s annual summary statement of assets from the trustee for the reporting period which includes:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the amount of money in the preneed trust fund at the beginning of the reporting period;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>an investment portfolio summary describing the asset and the market value for each investment class;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>a transaction summary of the preneed trust fund containing:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>trust account earnings;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>money deposited;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>total receipts;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="D">
          <text>administrative expenses;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="E">
          <text>withdrawals from the trust account for canceled contracts;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="F">
          <text>withdrawals from the trust account for delivery of merchandise for use or storage, and for services performed, including the principal and earnings;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="G">
          <text>other disbursements; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="H">
          <text>total disbursements; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>the amount of money in the preneed trust fund at the end of the reporting period;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>be accompanied by a fee of $25; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>include:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the name of the seller;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>each location of the seller;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>the amount of money that the seller received during that year that is subject to the trust requirements of this subtitle;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>the amount of money actually deposited into trust accounts in that year;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>the amount of money required to be disbursed from the trust accounts in that year;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>the amount of money actually disbursed from the trust accounts in that year; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="7">
          <text>the name and address of the trustee.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If the Director determines, after a review of the report and annual summary statement of assets required by this subsection, that additional documentation is required, a seller subject to the trust requirements of this subtitle shall provide the additional documentation to the Director.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A seller of preneed goods or preneed services that sells its business, files a petition in bankruptcy, or ceases to operate shall provide written notice within 15 days:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>to the Director, detailing the changes and the arrangements the seller has made for carrying out the preneed burial contracts and the disbursement of any money held in an escrow or trust account; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>to each buyer of a preneed burial contract, advising the buyer of the buyer’s options under State law in regard to the preneed contract.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Nothing in this paragraph exempts a seller of preneed goods or services that sells its business, files a petition in bankruptcy, or ceases to operate from filing the annual report required under this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A seller of a preneed burial contract shall provide each buyer or prospective buyer with a general price list for the buyer or prospective buyer to keep which shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>specific prices for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>ground opening and closing;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>extra depth interment;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>interment of cremated remains; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>mausoleum entombment; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>general price ranges for burial space or preneed goods.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A seller of a preneed burial contract shall disclose to the buyer:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>all goods and services that are reasonably expected to be required at the time of need that are not included in the preneed burial contract;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the buyer’s cancellation and refund rights under § 5–709 of this subtitle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the person responsible for installation of the goods sold and any warranties for the goods sold; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>if the preneed contract provides for goods or services to be delivered or performed before death:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>that interest or finance charges may be imposed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>that interest or finance charges are not allowed on other preneed burial contracts that do not provide for goods or services to be delivered or performed before death;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the manner of delivery of goods including where the goods are stored; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the buyer’s remedy if delivered goods are damaged or destroyed.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Director may require a seller to correct any underfunding, including interest, due to the preneed trust account.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Director may adopt regulations:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>to administer this section; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>for determining whether sellers are complying with this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
