AB929 - Abandoned endowment care cemeteries: County of Marin.

Enrolled September 03, 2026 Passed IN Senate August 30, 2026 Passed IN Assembly August 30, 2026 Amended IN Senate August 26, 2026 Amended IN Senate June 26, 2025 Amended IN Assembly May 01, 2025 Amended IN Assembly March 24, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 929 Introduced by Assembly Member Connolly February 19, 2025 An act to add and repeal Section 8834 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to cemeteries. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 929, Connolly. Abandoned endowment care cemeteries: County of Marin. Existing law, the Cemetery and Funeral Act, establishes the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of, among others, cemeteries and cemetery authorities. This bill, if the County of Marin acquires title to the Mount Tamalpais Mortuary and Cemetery pursuant to specified provisions, would authorize the county to transfer its ownership, care, and management to a California nonprofit organization in good standing or a cemetery authority, as specified. The bill would provide that a successor that acquires ownership of, or assumes responsibility for the care and management of, the Mount Tamalpais Mortuary and Cemetery is not liable for any debts, obligations, taxes, fines, judgments, or recordkeeping failures of a prior owner or cemetery authority arising before the date the successor acquires ownership or assumes responsibility for the Mount Tamalpais Mortuary and Cemetery. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2029. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Marin. This bill would also make its provisions operative contingent on the enactment of SB 1312 of the 2025–26 Regular Session. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 8834 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 8834. (a) Notwithstanding Section 8833, if the County of Marin acquires title to the Mount Tamalpais Mortuary and Cemetery pursuant to this chapter, the county may subsequently transfer its ownership, care, and management to either of the following: (1) A California nonprofit organization in good standing. (2) A cemetery authority licensed under the Cemetery and Funeral Act (Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 7600) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code). (b) A successor described in subdivision (a) that acquires ownership of, or assumes responsibility for the care and management of, the Mount Tamalpais Mortuary and Cemetery shall not be liable for any debts, obligations, taxes, fines, judgments, or recordkeeping failures of a prior owner or cemetery authority arising before the date the successor acquires ownership or assumes responsibility for the care and management of the Mount Tamalpais Mortuary and Cemetery. Nothing in this subdivision relieves the successor of the obligation to honor valid burial rights or prepaid burial contracts. (c) The protections provided by subdivision (b) shall apply to any transfer described in subdivision (a), regardless of when the County of Marin acquired title to the Mount Tamalpais Mortuary and Cemetery and regardless of whether the transfer to the successor occurs before, on, or after the effective date of this section. (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed. SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because the Mount Tamalpais Mortuary and Cemetery in the County of Marin presents unique circumstances resulting from prolonged regulatory, financial, maintenance, and public health and safety concerns, and narrowly tailored provisions are necessary to facilitate its transfer to a responsible successor capable of providing for its long-term care and maintenance and honoring existing burial rights. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect only if Senate Bill 1312 of the 2025–26 Regular Session is enacted and becomes operative.