Hosemann outlines new/upcoming laws
Tuesday, 01 September 2009
Paul Sims/SDN Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann speaks to the Starkville Rotary Club Monday. He reviewed several bills the state Legislature passed this year and looked ahead to proposed legislation for the 2010 session, including a bill to establish three pilot business courts and changes to laws governing the state’s limited liability companies.
By PAUL SIMS
sdnnews@bellsouth.net
A recent state law tightens pre-need policy requirements for private cemetery operators and provides for the monitoring of funds collected on such arrangements, a state official said Monday.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann listed the pre-need policy law among a series of legislative accomplishments in this year’s special session during an appearance Monday before the Starkville Rotary Club.
The legislation went into effect July 1, a few months after a Warren County judge ordered Hosemann’s office to oversee assets at Green Acres – a cemetery operation – after allegations of mismanagement surfaced.
According to a January press release from Hosemann’s office, the pre-need trust account at Green Acres totaled $221.60. Secretary of state officials believed at the time the trust account was missing $373,591.80.
Also, in August, a Prentiss County judge directed the secretary of state to take over as the temporary overseer of cemeteries in Baldwyn, Laurel, Booneville and Pittsboro.
After the meeting, Hosemann explained the provisions in the law.
It requires private cemetery operators to put 85 percent of what they collect into a trust in a bank and that financial institution reports to the secretary of state the amount of money in the trust, he said.
“The public will have knowledge of the sales, where their money is and the funds will be portable …,” Hosemann said.
Starkville Daily News
9/1/9
Magnolia Tribune
