HF5150

Purpose

• This bill aims to ensure public cemeteries in Minnesota honor burial practices from people’s recognized religions and to explicitly allow green burials. It updates state law to require cemeteries to permit these rites and to specify how green burials should be handled, including how cemetery capacity is managed over time.

Key Definitions

• Green burial: a burial method defined as in section 149A.02 subdivision 42.
• Recognized religion: the religion whose rites apply to the individual being buried.
• Public cemetery: municipalities, towns, or other cemeteries governed by this chapter.

Main Provisions

• Section 1: burial rites of recognized religion

  • Municipalities, towns, or other cemeteries overseen by this chapter must permit burials in accordance with the rites of the individual’s recognized religion.
  • This includes green burial if the burial is performed in compliance with chapter 149A and with section 306.991.

• Section 2: green burial requirements

  • Green burials must be allowed at the cemeteries covered by this chapter.
  • Green burials must comply with the requirements of section 306.991.

• Section 3: burial density

  • Green burial plots are limited to a maximum of 300 burials per acre over a 100-year period (the standard cap).
  • However, cemeteries must permit a greater density for green burials of individuals whose recognized religion includes green burial as part of its rites.

Significance / Practical Impact

• Strengthens religious rights in burial practices at public cemeteries.
• Officially recognizes and regulates green burial as an allowed option.
• Allows flexibility in cemetery planning: higher density for green burials when a religion requires it, potentially affecting land-use and capacity considerations.
• Requires existing cemeteries to comply with the green burial and religious rites provisions, aligning local practice with state law.

Implementation Notes

• The bill amends Minnesota Statutes, specifically section 306.991 (subdivisions 2 and 6) and adds related language in section 306.98.
• Applies to municipalities, towns, and other cemeteries governed by chapter 306.

Relevant Terms

• public cemeteries
• burial rites
• recognized religion
• rites
• green burial
• green burials
• chapter 149A
• Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement
• subdivision 2
• subdivision 6
• burial density
• 300 burials per acre
• 100-year period
• municipality
• town
• cemetery governed by this chapter