The New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, in collaboration with stakeholders and relevant departments from the State of New Jersey, has developed a VERI-NJ Fetal Death Guidebook following an increasing number of calls inquiring how to obtain credentials and complete a fetal death certificate in the state’s VERI-NJ system.

One question the association often receives through its Manager of the Day program is the situation where a fetus dies prior to 20 weeks of gestation, but the family wants to arrange for disposition.

Under N.J.S.A. 26:6-11, a burial or removal permit is required to be issued for every fetal death provided that 20 or more weeks of gestation have elapsed. For fetal deaths under 20 weeks of gestation, the law does not require a death certificate to be issued. However, at the request of the family, it may be issued.

Families can often encounter doctors who are reluctant to issue death certificates in that case for fear of having negative outcome cases reported. However, filings for a fetal death under 20 weeks of gestation do not count toward any statistical recording of an adverse delivery.

This guidebook has been developed with healthcare administrators, medical certifiers, funeral directors and registrars in mind. It walks through the step-by-step process of completing a fetal death certificate from the healthcare administrator starting the process through the registrar issuing the burial/transit permit.

While fetal death cases may not be a frequent case that you encounter in your funeral home, if you are not already registered with the VERI-NJ system, the NJSFDA recommends you take the time to obtain your credentials from the state. If a fetal death case comes to your funeral home, you will then be prepared to process the death certificate.

Requests for access to the VERI-NJ system can be sent to VERINJ_Admin@doh.nj.gov with the below requested information. If emailing from a shared email address (ex. info@NameOfFacility.com), please also provide a unique email address.

• Name of funeral director
• License number
• Name of funeral home
• Email address

If there are other funeral directors in the same funeral home, a full list of users can also be sent in one email.

For support with the VERI-NJ System contact VERINJ_Admin@doh.nj.gov or call OVSR at 866.649.8726. Make sure when emailing to use the underscore in the address and not a hyphen. Otherwise the email will not be delivered.

For questions on the VERI-NJ Fetal Death Guidebook the Manager of the Day can be reached between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at 800.734.3712 or online via online form at njsfda.org.

Several New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association firms and members have been nominated for industry awards given by the International Order of the Golden Rule.

Angelyna Scheck, a funeral director at Scanlan’s Funeral Home in Pompton Plains, has been nominated for a 2026 Rising Star award. Scheck also was a recipient of a New Jersey Funeral Service Education Corporation scholarship award in 2024 and 2025 and a 2025 OGR scholarship award.

The Rising Star Award nominees are “early-career professionals who demonstrate exceptional promise, leadership and dedication within the funeral service profession.”

Two member firms have been nominated for the OGR’s Community Service Awards. Brunswick Memorial Home in East Brunswick and Oliverie Funeral Home in Manchester were both honored.

The Community Service Award is given to firms that deliver “outstanding community service.”

Brunswick Memorial Home was also nominated for an Exemplary Service Award, given to firms that provide “outstanding customer service.”

Nominees will be honored at the OGR’s Golden Circle Celebration on May 6, 2026 in Louisville, KY.

Founded in 1928, the OGR has had a mission of promoting high ethical standards and outstanding service in the funeral profession.

A popular streetwear and lifestyle brand entered the funeral merchandise market with a designer casket. It sold out in under a minute.

Supreme, known for its hip-hop clothing, skateboarding attire and even rolling trays for marijuana joints, partnered with Titan Caskets to unveil a 20-gauge steel casket, painted bright red and adorned with the company’s logo.

On its website, Titan said the partnership showcased the company’s “ability to bridge tradition with contemporary culture.”

And contemporary culture has been defined in part by Supreme, founded in 1994 and originally focused on skateboarding clothing and accessories. During its more than 30 years in existence, however, it has formed partnerships with other well-known brands, branching out into footwear with Nike, outdoor wear with Marmot and fashion wear with Number (N)ine, a Japanese company.

Branching out into casket design seems in keeping with Supreme’s ethos. The response, however, was overwhelming. Supreme generated plenty of buzz before the actual sale. In addition to social media posts, including a picture of a nude model, painted half red lying in a propped-up casket next to a stove, the item was discussed on radio shows and niche online publications.

On its website, Supreme described the item as a fully functional casket “finished with high-gloss paint and painted logo. Custom leopard faux fur interior. Sculpted steel hardware, adjustable bed and reinforced stationary handles.” The casket was priced at $3,798, and a $500 shipping fee was added on after purchase. Like much of Supreme’s catalogue, only limited numbers were for sale.

It became available on February 26, 2026. It sold out nearly immediately after. Not everyone, however, was thrilled with the idea.

While dubbing the concept “fresh,” hosts on 104.7 KISS-FM in Phoenix, AZ, expressed skepticism about its worth, wondering who might see it.

“Now, where would you put that?” wondered co-host Serina Perez on the Tino Cochino show.

“Six feet under,” joked DJ Nicasio.

There is no word yet if any more of the item will be made available.

The information contained in this column is a report of the actions taken by the board members who were present during the open public session portion of the meeting only. It is not a transcript of the official board minutes or an official record of attendance. It does not address board member attendance or actions taken during the executive session that typically follows the open session and is closed to the public.

March 3, 2026

Members Present

Charles F. Bechtold, CFSP, President; Bruce Van Tassel, Secretary; Rita Alvarez; Gregory Aseltta; Peter Chubenko; Aladar Komjathy; Eleanor Rudolph; Kara Whigham.

Executive Staff Present

Michela Ross, executive director of the State Board of Court Reporting and State Board of Accountancy (filling in for Quin Archer); Dan Roman, Deputy Attorney General; Jessica Fiorilli, Ethics Liaison Officer; Ileana Botelho, Alternate Ethics Liaison Officer.

Public

George R. Kelder Jr., CFSP, and Jonathan R. Bender, New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, and nine members of the public were present.

Executive Director’s Report

The Board received two complaints in February for a total of nine complaints received in 2026.

A total of 23 candidates registered for the February 20, 2026, Jurisprudence Examination.

An ethics presentation for special state officers (Board members) was given by Jessica Fiorilli, Division of Consumer Affairs Ethics Liaison Officer.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes of February 3, 2026, were approved with the following correction. The readoption of regulations was not unanimous as Eleanor Rudolph opposed the motion.

Applications

There were no applications for the month of February.

Approved Internships

• Kerry Potter-Kotecki, Feeney Funeral Home

New Licensees

By Application

• Matthew Cardoso
• Madison Douglass

Licensed by Application for 2026: 5
Licensed by Credentials for 2026: 0

New Funeral Home Registrations

• South Jersey Burial Company LLC, Cinnaminson; Manager, Michael Givnish

Registrations approved in February: 1

Total for 2026: 1

Continuing Education Report

The Board approved the courses listed on the meeting agenda, with one exception, and will post the approved courses on the Board’s website under the licensee tab.

Correspondence

Dalene Paull, Executive Director of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, announced that at its annual meeting on February 25 and 26, 2026 their Board of Directors will be voting on the following matters:

• Model Application
• Election Procedures
• Election of three board members

Disciplinary Actions

• Eugene Santomauro has agreed to a settlement offer by the Board for violation of N.J.A.C. 13:36-10.3 by failing to complete the necessary continuing education credits for the 2021-2023 licensing period. Mr. Santomauro has agreed to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $100 per missing credit and to complete the missing credits within two months of the settlement.
• Allyson Cotton, manager of Cotton Funeral Service, Inc., has agreed to a settlement for violation of N.J.S.A. 45:1-21(e) and N.J.A.C. 13:36-1.8(a). The violation occurred when the funeral home omitted steps resulting in the body of a decedent being improperly embalmed, sanitized and subsequently shipped with incomplete paperwork. The Board deems this action to be professional misconduct. As a result, Ms. Cotton agreed to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $3,000 for the two violations. Additionally, she is responsible for providing the Board with copies of all embalming reports performed at their establishment for the next six months.

Public Comment

• Rudolph Luisi asked if the Board had decided how he should proceed with his expired internship and pathway to licensure. Chairman Bechtold informed him that a decision was made and correspondence would be forthcoming via email.

Next Board Meeting

The Board moved into Executive Session at 10:09 a.m. and noted that the next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom.

Violence rocks several funerals from Missouri to Michigan. An Arizona cemetery takes the unusual step of banning mourners from the actual burial of the decedent. And, in Russia, the large number of deaths is leading to shortcuts in the process for burials and memorialization. These stories and more are in the week in funeral news.

NEWS

An Arizona Cemetery Now Requires Mourners to Leave Before Burial. A Rabbi Plans to Sue
By The Jewish Post and News
At Jewish funerals, the final act is often the simplest: the casket is lowered into the earth, mourners take turns with a shovel, and the grave slowly fills. It is a moment many rabbis describe as the essence of burial–the point at which ritual, grief and physical reality meet. At a cemetery in Scottsdale, AZ, that moment now does not happen. Read more here.

Scotland Becomes First United Kingdom Country to Allow Water Cremations
By Megan Bonar (BBC)
Scotland has become the first country in the UK where water cremations are now legal. The process–called alkaline hydrolysis–will offer families a third option instead of burial or traditional cremation. Read more here.

Two People Fatally Shot, Two Others Injured After Gunfire at Funeral Repast
By Charlotte Phillipp (People)
Two people are dead and at least two others are recovering from injuries sustained in a shooting at a funeral repast in Detroit, MI. A shooter opened fire in a parking lot near an event center. Read more here.

Man Stabbed During Funeral Service at California Church
By Amber Coakley (KUSI)
A man was seriously injured after being stabbed multiple times during a funeral service at a church in San Diego, CA, authorities said. Read more here.

Four Injured Including Police Officer After Shooting at Funeral in Missouri
By Hays Post
Four people including a police officer were injured in a drive-by shooting into a church during a funeral in Kansas City, MO. Read more here.

Russia Is Increasingly Cutting Costs on the Burial of Its War Dead
By Nikita Aronov (The Insider)
At the end of January 2026, a scandal erupted in Novosibirsk, Russia, over the bodies of Russian soldiers killed in the war with Ukraine. Relatives of the dead told the media and prosecutors that the military enlistment office was handing over bodies directly from the airport to specific funeral companies without the families’ consent. The war dead have become an important source of growth for the burial industry, and their loved ones are a valuable resource that funeral providers are willing to fight over. Read more here.

As the state approaches the implementation of New Jersey’s natural organic reduction law, the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association has received many telephone calls pertaining to the funeral director’s role in carrying out a decedent’s wishes to undergo NOR.

Key among those questions is how to properly complete a death certificate if NOR is chosen. In contemplating how to best utilize the Electronic Death Registration System to document an NOR recipient, the association believes that no changes will need to be made to EDRS to accommodate this new offering.

Natural organic reduction will be legal in New Jersey as of July 1, 2026; however, funeral directors across the state are already offering NOR by utilizing a third-party, out-of-state NOR facility. Establishing a standard for our members so that we are unified in how we are completing a death certificate for these cases, both now, and once New Jersey’s law is implemented, ensures accurate reporting of data by the state. In all cases, due to character limitations, “natural organic reduction” must be reduced to its acronym, “NOR.”

The association has proposed the following process and recommends that our members complete a death certificate for an NOR recipient as follows:

Section 14: “Method of Disposition”

• For NOR facility in state - Other (specify): NOR
• For NOR Facility out of state - Other (specify): NOR shipout

Section 15: “Place of Disposition (Name of cemetery, crematory, other place)”

Wherever the end-product ultimately goes:

• Name of the cemetery
• Name of the forest or park
• Name of the other place
• Return to family

Section 16: “Location, city or town and state”

Location of wherever the end-product ultimately goes:

• Location of the cemetery
• Location of the forest or park
• Location of the other place
• Address of family recipient

Section 17: “Name and Complete Address of Funeral Facility”

• For NOR facility in state: Name and address of the New Jersey NOR mortuary registration
• For NOR facility out of state: Name and address of your mortuary registration

Section 18: “Signature of Funeral Director”

• A licensed practitioner at your mortuary

Section 19: “NJ License Number”

• The practitioner at your mortuary’s license number

If you have any further questions, please contact the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association’s Manager of the Day at 800.734.3712, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or via email at njsfda@njsfda.org.