Natural organic reduction, or NOR (a.k.a. body composting), might become legal in Maryland! It could become the seventh state to legalize natural organic reduction – but we need your help right now. Here’s a video message about this from Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®.

What is NOR/Body Composting?

Body composting vessel and compost from the Natural Funeral.

As you may know, natural organic reduction or NOR is the process for the final disposition of human remains which converts them to soil in a controlled vessel.  Because it doesn’t directly consume fossil fuels, NOR is considered a “green” or eco-friendly funeral option that avoids carbon emissions – with some estimates that indicate it prevents a metric ton of CO2 in comparison to conventional burial or cremation methods.  You can find out more about natural organic reduction from recent articles in the National Geographic, Popular Science, Yahoo News and even the New York Post.

At the request of my friends from greenlegacy.com in my hometown of Silver Spring, Maryland, the state legislature is currently considering HB 1060 – Cremation – Natural Organic Reduction – Regulation.  If it passes, this bill will legalize NOR in Maryland and allow the state oversight agencies to regulate it.  You can find a copy of the bill here.  The Maryland House of Delegates has already approved the bill and now it is in the Senate Finance Committee’s court to decide.

I am urging all my friends in Maryland to let the Finance Committee know you care.  Sign up to testify.  If you can’t sign up to testify, then send an email.  If you can’t send an email, then call.  We need you to speak up for HB 1060 and let your elected officials hear from you.  BUT ACT FAST – THE HEARING IS THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2023 AT 1PM.

You can do both/either of the following options:

1. Email your written testimony to the committee. A list of the emails for committee members is below.
2. Submit your written testimony through the MyMGA portal. You must submit during the hours of 8:00AM – 3:00PM on the day before the hearing (Tuesday, March 28). Please create an account, click “Witness Signup”, navigate to HB1060, select “Favorable with Amendments”, select “Written” from the Testimony drop down menu, and attach your written testimony (must be a PDF). Then scroll back to the top of the page and click “Save”. Please don’t navigate away from the page until it has processed your submission. You can check that it has been processed successfully by clicking “Signed Up Items” (next to the “Save” button).

Please send a courtesy copy of your testimony/emails to Delegate Anne Kaiser, the bill’s sponsor, at [email protected]. You can also call Legislative Aide Caroline Davenport at 301-858-3036 if you have any trouble.

Stay tuned to agoodgoodby.com for updates and more news.  And thank you for getting involved.

Sen. Melony Griffith, Chair Prince George’s County	410-841-3127	[email protected]
Sen. Katherine Klausmeier, Vice-Chair Baltimore County	410-841-3620	[email protected]
Sen. Pamela Beidle Anne Arundel County	410-841-3593	[email protected]
Sen. Arthur Ellis Charles County	410-841-3616	[email protected]
Sen. Dawn Gile Anne Arundel County	410-841-3568	[email protected]
Sen. Antonio Hayes Baltimore City	410-841-3656	[email protected]
Sen. Stephen S. Hershey Kent, Queen Anne’s, Cecil, Caroline	410-841-3762	[email protected]
Sen. Benjamin F. Kramer Montgomery County	410-841-3151	[email protected]
Sen. Clarence K. Lam Anne Arundel, Howard	410-841-3653	[email protected]
Sen. Johnny Mautz Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico	410-841-3590	[email protected]
Sen. Justin Ready Frederick, Carroll	410-841-3683	[email protected]
Cut and Paste Committee-Wide Email	[email protected], katheri[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

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