NEWS AND HOT TOPIC ARCHIVE

The appointment of three current members of the Board of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services will be expiring in the coming months. To apply, submit a Main Application Questionaire, and a Supplemental Questionaire, in time to be actually received by this Division BY NOT LATER THAN Aug. 25, 2011.

Posted 8-5-2011

VACANCY ON BOARD OF FUNERAL, CEMETERY AND CONSUMER SERVICES

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL eAPPOINT SYSTEM USERS

Online Application Payment System Down

Please be aware that our systems will be down for maintenance Friday, December 17, 2010 5:00 p.m. through Wednesday, December 22, 2010 6:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST), in order to make necessary enhancements. There will be no access to file an application, appointment, renewal or duplicate license during this time period. We chose this time of year because of the traditionally low number of transactions. During this downtime, any information or transactions submitted prior to 5 p.m. (EST) on December 17, will not be affected.

We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you or those you represent; however, the system maintenance will help us provide better customer service in the future. If you have any questions regarding this issue, please call Division staffer Christine Lynn at 850-413-4991.

VISA-branded cards are no longer accepted.

Effective December 15, 2010, the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services, will no longer be able to accept VISA-branded credit or debit cards. We will continue to accept MasterCard, Discover Card, American Express, and eCheck.
The Florida Department of Financial Services genuinely regrets any inconvenience you may experience as a result of our inability to accept of VISA-branded cards.
Questions? Call Division staffer Christine Lynn at 850-413-4991.
Posted 12-13-10 

 

BOARD MEETINGS -- change in November and December 2010 locations
The Funeral and Cemetery Division has been instructed to move its Tallahassee office in mid-November, to the Pepper Building, in downtown Tallahassee. The move will affect our ability to generate a full agenda for the December meeting, which is currently scheduled as an in person meeting. The Division, in consultation with the Board Chair, has determined that it would not be a good use of travel funds to have the Board travel to a December in person meeting, when the agenda will likely by light. Accordingly, it has been determined that the following changes will be made regarding Board meetings:

• November 4 Board meeting will be in person, in Tallahassee.

• December 2 Board meeting will be by teleconference.

Posted 10-05-2010

IMPORTANT CHANGES REGARDING FUNERAL DIRECTOR-IN-CHARGE OF A FUNERAL ESTABLISHMENT
Effective 10-1-2010 all funeral establishments must have as funeral director in charge, a licensee who is licensed as both funeral director and embalmer. A limited exception has been provided by statute to allow certain persons licensed only as a funeral director to continue acting as FDIC.
Click here for more information.
Click here for a related form.
Posted 8-20-2010

IMPORTANT CHANGES REGARDING DIRECT DISPOSER-IN-CHARGE OF A DIRECT DISPOSAL ESTABLISHMENT.
Effective 10-1-2010 direct disposal establishments must have a licensed funeral director as direct disposer in charge. A limited exception has been provided by statute to allow certain direct disposers to continue acting as direct disposer in charge.
Click here for more information.
Click here for a related form.
Posted 8-17-2010

RE: CONTINUING EDUCATION PROVIDER STATUS
We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are experiencing some technical difficulties regarding the expiration of ALL continuing education providers. Our programmers are working to get this issue resolved as quickly as possible. Until a resolution has been met, you will not be able to log into the system. Feel free to offer any valid courses that have already been approved. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please contact LaTonya Bryant at (850) 413-3039. Thanks for your patience in this matter.
Posted 6-1-09

RE: ON-LINE LISTINGS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES
We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are experiencing some technical difficulties regarding the reporting of active courses (https://facs.fldfs.com/public/pb_index.asp). Our programmers are working to get this issue resolved as quickly as possible. Feel free to offer any valid courses that were closed in error. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please contact LaTonya Bryant at (850) 413-3039. Thanks for your patience in this matter.
Posted 04-15-09

LATE FEES re PRENEED REMITTANCES TO BE ENFORCED
Commencing with quarterly preneed remittances for 2nd Quarter 2009, which will be due on or before Aug. 31, 2009, the Division will be enforcing late fees for quarterly preneed remittances that are not paid by the due date. The Division has not previously enforced these late fees rigorously because of computer system limitations. For payments sent by mail, payment will be deemed late if the envelope in which payment is received by the Division, is not postmarked on or before the due date. By Board rule, the late fee is $200 for first time you are late, and $400 each time thereafter.
Posted 3-31-09

QUARTERLY REMITTANCE FEE PER CONTRACT IS INCREASING JULY 1, 2009
Effective July 1, 2009, the Quarterly Preneed Remittance paid by Preneed licensees will increase by $2 per each preneed contract. The increase will apply to each preneed contract entered into on and after July 1, 2009. The increase will apply to all preneed contracts, whether the contract is secured by trust deposit, life insurance, or surety bond. This increase is pursuant to Board rule amendment at the Jan. 2009 Board meeting. For more info, call Christine Lynn at 850-413-4082.
Posted 3-31-09  

NEW PRENEED QUARTERLY INVOICE FORM PROPOSED
Comment Invited
To All Interested Parties:
The Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services anticipates putting the attached NEW QUARTERLY PRENEED REMITTANCE FORM into use later this year (we anticipate sending it out in June 2009 for reporting of quarterly preneed remittances for 2d quarter of CY 2009 (April 1-June 30, 2009). Currently and for many years past, each quarter we send each preneed licensee two remittance invoice forms to fill out and return, one form for remittances to the Consumer Protection Trust Fund (CPTF), and another separate form for remittances to the Regulatory Trust Fund (RGTF). The new revised form combines CPTF and RGTF remittances onto the single new form. So preneed licensees would receive only one remittance invoice each quarter, and would remit only one check each quarter. The FCCS Division has scheduled a meeting on Feb 13, 2009, in room 230A of the Alexander Building, from 10 AM to noon, to receive from any interested party, any comment, concerns, or suggestions you have concerning the proposed new form. In addition, feel free to email any comments to: shropshired@FLDFS.com. CLICK HERE to see the proposed form.
Posted 1-30-09 

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
The offices of the Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services will be closed on Dec. 26, 2008, and Jan. 2, 2009.
Posted 12-19-08

JANUARY 2009 BOARD MEETING
The Jan. 2009 meeting of the Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services will be on Jan. 7, 2009, at the Alexander Building, 2020 Capital Circle SE, Talahassee. It will be an in-person meeting, not a teleconference meeting. It is anticipated that the Board's Finance Committee will make its report and recommendation to the Board at the Jan. 7th meeting. There will be no meetings of the Board between the date of this announcement and the Jan. 7th meeting.
Posted 12-8-08

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE CHARGE
Cost allocation materials, breakout by dollars per component item.
Click here to see the materials. (Note: File is 5.5MB)
Posted 10-15-08  

THE INCREASE OF FINGERPRINTING FEES

Effective July 1, 2008, the fee for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to process fingerprints and conduct criminal background checks has been increased from $57.25 to $58.25. The fee increase is due to the Legislature’s decision to increase the fee for FDLE criminal history checks.

ESTABLISHMENTS SELLING PRENEED CONTRACTS - 2008 LICENSE RENEWAL
Establishments licensed to sell preneed contracts (license types 3700 and 3709) will receive their annual renewal notice beginning April 1, 2008. The notice is for renewal of the primary establishment and any branch operations selling preneed contracts. Licenses that are renewed by June 30, 2008, will be issued effective July 1, 2008.

MONUMENT ESTABLISHMENTS AND PROFESSIONALS – ARE YOU LICENSED?
Effective October 1, 2005, Chapter 497, Part V, was amended to distinguish between Monument Builders and Monument Retailers. All licensed monument establishments were made Monument Retailers, and a new application was required to become a Monument Builder. The industry was allowed time to adjust to the new law and become voluntarily licensed. NOTICE: The Division’s field examiners have begun inspecting monument establishments and employees to determine compliance with the current law.