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Hosemann and members of his staff were in Tupelo to present the first of at least 10 training sessions to be held around the state to familiarize funeral service employees with new procedures they will be required to use when the law takes effect.
The new law gives the Secretary of State’s Office oversight of any pre-need contracts sold to customers and also trust agreements between funeral service providers and the trust institution or bank.
“Concerns of the public are great around the state now,” Hosemann said. “People have the feeling they can’t put their trust in an industry that is, by and large, most trustworthy. Problem businesses have cast a poor light on everyone else.”
Two key features of the new law include the requirement that sellers of pre-need contracts be licensed by the Secretary of State’s Office, and that funds paid by the purchaser of a pre-need contract be placed in a trust account designated for the purchaser.
Since 2007 the Secretary of State’s Office, in cooperation with the Attorney General’s Office, has investigated numerous complaints around the state brought by individuals who had purchased pre-arrangement contracts.
Mark Seepe, owner of Mark Seepe Funeral Directors and Southern Mortuary in Jackson, pleaded guilty recently after being indicted on five counts of converting or embezzling pre-need funds. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, Hosemann said.
In March, Green Acres of Vicksburg was put in receivership so operations of the cemetery could resume. However, litigation is still pending for a number of other properties where funds paid for pre-need contracts are missing, including Prentiss, Memorial Gardens, Baldwyn; Liberty Memorial Park, Booneville; Pinecrest Memorial Park, Calhoun City; Sunset Gardens, Laurel; George F. West Funeral Home, Natchez and Jackson Mortuary, Amory.
Contact Lena Mitchell at (662) 287-9822 or lena.mitchell@djournal.com.
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