G en. 109] 109
HEAL TH OCCU P AT I ONS
M ORTI CI ANS

– L I MI T E D L I AB I L I T Y C OM PANI ES

– M ORT I CI AN ’ S L I CENSE M AY N OT B E T RANS FE RR E D T O L I MIT ED L I AB I L I T Y C OMPAN Y

A ugus t8, 2005

T h e H o n o ra b le J

a m e s B ro c h in Mar yl and Senat e

Y ou have a s ked forouropi ni on w het h ert he St at e B oar d of M or t i ci ans (“B o ar d”) m ayappr ove t he t r ans ferof an e xi s t i ng m o rticia n lice n se f

ro m a so le p ro p rie to r to a lim ited liab ility company( “LL C ”) es t abl i s hed and managed by thatpr opr i et orand i n w hi ch t hatpr opr i et or i s t he sol e m ember

. Y ou not e t hat , w hi l e a pr ovi s i on of t he M ar y l and M or t i ci ans A ctexpl i ci t l yl i m i t s t he oper at i on of fune r al hom es bycorpor at i ons , i t i s s i l ent w i t h r es pect t o L L C s.
T he M ar y l and M or t i ci ans A ctaut hor i zes t he B oard t o i s s ue sp e c if ic typ e s o f lice n se s to in d iv id u a ls an d c e r ta in c o rp o ra te en t i t i e s
. Howev e r , u n d e r t h e Act , n o n e o f t h o s e l i c e n s e s c o u l d be g r a n t e d t o a n LLC. Nord o e s t h e Act a u t h o r i z e a n u n l i c e n s e d LLC t o c o n d u c ta m o r tu a r y s c i e n c e b u s i n e s s , e v e n i f i tw e r e o w n e d b y, an d em p loy ed , li ce n sed m o rt ici an s. T h u s, in o u r o p inion , the B o ard m aynotappr ove t he t r ans ferof an e xis t i ng m or t i ci an l i cens e fr om a s ol e pr opr i et ort o an LL C

. W e rec o g n i ze thatr eas onabl e pol i cy ar gum ent s m aybe m ade i n favorof expa ndi ng t he r ange of ent i t i es t hat m aybe li censed t o o perat e f un eral ho m es; ho w ever, t ho se a r g u m e n t s m u s tb e m a d e t o t h e G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y.

I Backg r ound
A
. Mar

yland Mor ti cians Act
T he M ary l and M or t i ci ans A ct( “M or t i ci ans A ct ”) i s codi fi ed at A n n o tat ed C o d e of M ary l and, H eal th O cc u p ati o n s A rt icl e (“ H O ”), §7- 101 et

s eq. U ndert hatl aw , t he St at e B oar d of M or t i ci ans1 1 0 [9 0 O p
. A tt ’y

T h e p r a c ti c e o f

mo rtu ar y s c ien c e an d

th e p r a c ti c e o f

f un era l 1 direc tion b o th i n cl ude the ope ration of a funeral establishment and the arrang ement, for

compensation, of the final dispositi on of a dea d human body

. HO §7-101(p),(q)

. The pra ctice of mortuary scienc e also include s “for compensation, [ the preparation of] a dead human body for di s p o s i t i o n , i n cl u d i n g d i s i n fe ct i n g o r p re s erv i n g a d ea d hum an body

or any of its parts by

arte rial or c avity

injection.” HO §7- 101(q)( ii).
Those license s include: an a pprenticelicense fo r anindividual 2 who meets c ertain acad em i c an d ex p er i en ce re qu i re m ent s an d i s s p o n s o red by a license d mortician (HO §7-306); a f uneral director license for an indivi du a l who ha s q

ua lif ie d for , an d ha s contin

uo us ly he ld, su c h a

lic e ns e since May 2, 1973 (HO §7-307); a surviving spouse licensethat allows the surviving spouseof a lice nsed mortician to continue the b u s iness under the supervision of a

nother lice nsed m ortician (HO §7-308); an executor’s license that allows thepersonal repre sentative of a dece ased morticia

n’s estate to c o n t inue the operation of a mortua ry scienc e business (HO §7- 3 0 8.1); and a

“cour tesy card” that allows lice nsed pra ctitioners in other states to removea body

from Mar yland, to return a

body to Maryland, and to car ry out cer tain related ac tiviti es (HO §7-311). r egul at es t he pra ct i ce of m or tuar y s ci ence and fune r al di r ect i on and rel at ed acti vit i es. 1
T he M or t i ci ans A ctpr ohi bi t s t he pr act i ce of m or tuar ys ci ence wi t h o u t a l i c e n s e i s s u e d b y t h e Boa r d

. HO § 7

- 5 0 1

. Th e A ct authori zes t he B oard t o is sue several typ e s of l i censes. M ost per t i nent t o y our ques t i on, t he B oar d m ay i s s ue a mort i ci an l i cens e, aut hor i zi ng t he p rac ti ce of m or tuar ys ci ence , t o an i ndi vi dual w ho sa tisf ies th e e d u c a tio n a l, ex a m in a tio n , an d o th e r re q u ire m e n ts e s ta b lis h e d b y th e B o a rd

. See H O §§7- 301 t hr ough 7- 305. T he A ct a lso a u th o riz e s the B o a rd to iss u e se v e ra l o th e r typ e s o f lice n se s to i nd i vidual s for l i m i t ed p urposes. 2
T he M or t i ci ans A ctal s o pr ovi des for a “corpor at i on l i cens e” t hat aut ho ri zes a corporat i on t o operat e a m ortuarysci ence b usi ness i f t he pr act ice of m or tuar ys ci ence i s conduct ed byl i cens ed i ndi vi dual s
. H O §7- 309. H ow ever , t he ava i l abi l i t yof a c orpor at i on lice n se is v e rylim ited . T h e A c t d e f in e s “c o rp o ra tio n ” to m e a n o n ly a m ortuarysci ence b usi ness t hat has been i nco rporat ed si nce at l east J u n e 1 , 1 9 4 5 , a m o n g o th e r t h in g s . H O § 7 -1 0 1 (e )( 1 ). M o re o v e r, a l i cense i s only avail able t o s uch a corporat i on i f, am on g ot her t hings, it h e ld a lice n se o n Ju n e 1 , 1 9 4 5 a n d h a s c o n tin u o u slyre n e w e d it s i nce t hat t i m e. H O §7- 309( b)

. O t her w i s e, “a c orpor at i on m aynot oper at e a mor tuar ys ci ence bus i nes s and t he B oar d m ay not i s s ue aG en. 109] 111

In th e Mo rtic ians Ac t, t

hete rm “ c or po ratio n”is d e fi ned

no t to 3 include a professional c orporation or profe ss i o n al association. HO §7- 10 1( e )( 2) . T hu s, there stric tio ns on theiss ua nc e of a c or po ra tio n li c e ns e do not apply

to a profe ssional corporation. li ce n se to o r l istan yco rpo rati o n as li ce n sed to o p e ra te a m o rtu ary s ci ence bus i nes s
. ” H O §7- 309( a)

. T hus , t he “c orpor at i on l i cens e” es s e n t i a l l y i s a g r a n d f

a t h e r p r o v i s i o n t h a t a l l o ws c o rp o r a t i o n s t hat o p e ra ted f

u n e ra l h o m e s 6 0 y e a rs a g o to c o n tin u e in b u sin e ss . T h is r es t r i ct i on on corpor at e l i cens es w as enac t ed i n 19 3 7 , and w as s ubj ectt o a l i m i t ed sus pens i on dur i ng W or l d W arI I

. C hapt er503, L a w s o f M a ry lan d 1 9 3 7 ; s ee al

s o B r ooks v. St at e Board of Funer al D i rect ors andE m ba lm ers , 233 M d. 98, 102, 113- 14, 195 A

. 2d 728 (1963 ) ( up ho l ding res t ri ct i on on corporat i on l i censes against cons t i tut i onal chal l enge)

. T he r es t r i ct i on appar ent l yar os e outof a conce r n t hatcorpor at e l i cens ees w er e per for m i ng s er vi ces t hr o u gh un l i censed i nd i vidual s. S e e L e tt e r o f E ric W . M a rc h , P re sid e n t, St at e B oar d of M or t i ci ans t o D el egat e J ohn D

. J eff r i es ( Februar y12, 19 92 ). W e un derst and t hat 58 co rporat i on s curre n tlyho l d these lic e n s e s
. See F iscal an d P o li cy N o te fo r S en ate B il l 34 0 (F eb rua ry 3 , 2 0 0 5 ).
Fi nal l y , t he A ctal s o pr ovi des for“fune r al est abl i s hm ent s ” – i.e ., th e p re m ise s f

ro m w h ic h f

u n e ra l d ire c tin g o r e m b a lm in g is cond u cted – t o be l i cens ed w i t h t he pr ovi s o t hatan es t abl i s hm ent m us tbe ow ned and ope r at ed byatl eas tone l i cens ed mort i ci an, l i cens ed fune r al di r ect or , o r th e hol derof a s ur vi vi ng s pous e or corpor at i on l i cens e. H O §§7- 101( h) , 7- 310.
T h e Acte x p l i c i t l ya u t h o r i z e s a l i c e n s e d mor t i c i a n t o p r a c t i ce i n t he f o rm o f a “pr ofes s i onal as s oci at i on” and mul t i pl e l i cens ed m or t i ci ans t o pr act i ce a s a part ner s hi p, butdoes notr equi r e a s e p a ra te lic e n s e f

o r t h e b u s in e s s e n tity. H O § § 7 -4 0 1 , 7 -4 0 2 . A “pr ofes s i onal as s oci at i on” i s s i m pl yanot hername fora pr ofes s i onal corpor at i on. A nno ta t ed C ode of M ary l and, C orpor at i ons and A s s oci at ions A r t i cl e ( “C A ”) , §1- 502( f) ( i i i )

. T he A ctdoes not 3
a d d r e s s t h e p r a c t i c e o f

mo r tu a r ys c i e n c e t h r o u g h a n LL C.
B
. L im i ted Li abili t

y Compani es A l i m i t ed l i abi l i t ycompanyi s a for m of bus i nes s or gani zat i on t hathas char act er i s t i cs of bot h a pa rt n er s hi p and a c orpor at i on. W h ile a p a rtn e r s h ip is o w n e d b yits p a rtn e rs a n d a c o rp o ra tio n is ow ned byi t s s har ehol der s , an L L C i s ow ned by i t s “mem ber s
. ” See1 1 2 [9 0 O p
. A tt ’y

Am on goth e r t

hin g s, an a

pp lic ant f or a mor tic ian lic e ns e mus t 4 have a de gre e in m or

tua ry sc ie nc e , c omp le tean a

pp renti c e sh ip, and

pa ss written examinations. HO §7-303(b)

. C A §4A

- 601 et

s eq. A n L L C m aybe t r eat ed as a part ner s hi p for f e d e ra l tax p u rp o se s, a n d , lik e a p a rtn e rsh ip , allo w s f lex ib ili tyin or gani zi ng and mana g ing the ent i t y
. H ow ever , unl i ke a ge ner al p a rtn e rsh ip , ito f

f e rs its m e m b e rs th e sa m e sh ield o f lim ited liab ili ty e n jo y e d b yth e s h a re h o ld e rs in a c o rp o ra tio n
. See 86 O pi ni ons of

the A tto rn e y G e n e ra l 1 9 3 , 2 04 ( 2001) ; 84 O pi ni ons of

the At t or ney G e n e ra l 1 8 1 , 1 8 2 -83 (19 9 9 ).
T h e G e n e ra l A ss e m b lyado pted the M a ry lan d L im ited L iab ili ty C om pany A ct (“ L L C A ct ”) i n 1992. C hapt er536, L aw s of M ary land 1 9 9 2 , c o d if

ie da s a m e n d e d

a t C A §4A

- 101 et

s eq. T he L L C A ctcon fers cert ai n g eneral po w ers on al l M ary l and L L C s, unl es s ot her w i s e pr ovi ded byl aw ort he LL C ’ s arti cles of o rg a n iza tio n
. C A § 4 A -2 0 3

. A m o n g th o se p o w e rs is th e a b il it y to

“ r e n d e rp r o f

e s s i o n a l s e r v i c e s wi th i n orwi t h o u t[ M a r y l a n d ]

. ” CA § 4 A -2 0 3 (1 0 ). “P ro f

e ss io n a l se rv ice ” is d e f

in e d in th e L L C A c t to m ean “ a s er vi ce thatm ayl aw ful l ybe r ender ed onl ybya pe rson li censed or otherw i se authori zed by a l i censi ng un i t i n the Stat e to r e n d e rt h e s e r v i c e a n d t h a tm a y n o t l a w f u l l y b e r e n d e r e d b y a c o rp o r a t i o n u n d e rt h e M a r y l a nd Ge n e r a l Co rp o r a t i o n La w. ” CA § 4 A -1 0 1 (p )(1 ) (i n c o rp o ra tin g C A § 5 -1 0 1 b yre f e re n c e ). T h e sta tu te al s o l i s t s a number of pro fess i ons t hatpr ovi de s er vi ces cover ed by th e d e f in iti o n , inc lu d in g m a n yp ro f e ss io n s lic e n se d u n d e r th e H e a lth Oc c u p a t i o n s Ar t i c l e , b u tn o ti n c l u d i n g mo r t i c i a n s
. CA § 4 A101( p) ( 2) ( i v) , ( v) , ( vi ) , ( vi i ) , ( vi i i ) , ( x ) ( c h i r o p r a c t o r , d e n t i s t , o s t e o pat h, p h y s ic ia n , p o d ia tr is t, p s y c h o lo g is t)

.

II
A n a ly sis
Y ou as k w het hert he M or t i ci ans B oar d m ayappr ove the t r a n s f e ro f a mor t i c i a n l i c e n s e f

r o m a s o l e p r o p r i e t o rt o an LLC w h ic h th e so le p ro p rie to r p lan s to m a n a g e a n d o f w h ich th e so le p r o p r i e t o ri s t h e o n l yme mbe r
. Th e s h o r ta n s weri s t h a ta n LLC i t s el f m aynothol d a mort i ci an l i cens e. I n r equi r i ng t hatan appl i cant m e e t v a rio u s e d u c a tio n a l a n d e x p e rie n c e re q u ire m e n ts, th e sta tu te 4 cont empl at es t hat a m or t i ci an l i cens e w i l l be hel d onl ybyan in d iv id u a l. C

f. 81 O p in io n s o

f th e A tto rn e

y G e n e ra l 74 ( 1996)G en. 109] 113

The sameconclusion would per tain to a fune ral e st ab l i s hment 5 l i ce n s e, as one of the conditions for grantingsuch a lice nse is that the est ab l i shment is owned and ope rate d by at least oneindividual or corporate lice nsee. ( beca us e onl yan i ndi vi dual m ay be l i cens ed as a dent i s t , corpor at i on m aynotbe l i cens ed byD ent al B oar d)

. M or eover , t he M or t i ci ans A cthas no pr ovi s i on for t he l i cens i ng of busi nes s ent i t i es ot hert han cer t ai n gr andfa t her ed corpor at i ons
. T her e i s s i m pl y no bas i s i n t he s t a tu t e f o rg r a n t i n g a mo r t i c i a n l i c e n s e t o a n LL C. 5
I f w e under s t and t he t hrus t of y ouri nqui r y , i tr ai s es t he r el at ed q u e stio n o f

w h e th e r a p ro p e rly lice n se d m o rticia n m a yc o n d u c t h is orherbus i nes s t hr ough an ent i tyor gani zed a s an LL C

. E ven w hen t he G ener al A s s embl yhas r es t r i ct ed t he pr act i ce of a pr ofes s i on or o c c u p a t i o n t o l i c e n s e d i n d i v i d u a l s , i th a s p e r mi t t e d , i n s o me i ns t ance s , forunl i cens ed ent i t i es t o pr ovi de the s er vi ce s of t hat pr ofes s i on oroccupa t i on t hr ough t he empl oy m en tof l i cens ed in d iv id u a ls

. See D v o r in e v . C a s tle b u r gJ e w e lr y C o r p ., 170 M d. 661, 185 A

. 2d 562 ( 1936) ( corpor at i on m ay pr ovi de opt om et r ys er vi ces t hr ough empl oy m en t o f l i cens ed opt om et r i s t s ) ; 85 O pi ni ons of

the A t t or ney G ener al 238 ( 2000) ( bus i nes s ent i t yow ned byunl i cens ed i ndi vi dual s m aypr ovi de phy s i cal t her apyserv ic es bycont r act i ng w i t h l i cens ed phy s i cal t her api s t s )

. A s t he C our t of A ppeal s fr amed t he issu e i n D vor i ne , the q u esti o n is “n o t w h ethe r t h e L eg isl ature m ay pr ohi bi t [an ent i t y ] fr om fur ni s hi ng s er vi ce i n a re gul at ed empl oy m entt hr ough t he age ncy o f ot her s , butw het heri thas done s o i n t hi s s t atut e. ” 170 M d. at673. I n addi t i on, i tm i ghtbe ar gued t hatt he M ar y l and L L C A ct , i n author i zi ng L L C s t o r ender pr ofes s i onal s er vi ces , i t s el f pr ovi des a bas i s fort he or gani zat i on of a mo r tu a r ys c i e n c e b u s i n e s s a s a n LL C.
N onet hel es s , w e bel i eve that th e G ener al A s s embl yhas not a u t h o r i z e d t h e o p e r a t i o n o f a mo r tu a r ys c i e n c e b u s i n e s s b ya n LL C, even i f t he LL C ’ s s ol e mem beri s a l i cens ed mort i ci an. W e r eac h t his con cl usi on for several reas on s. Fi r s t , the M o rt ici an s A ct clearlyau tho ri ze s a li ce n sed m ort i ci an to co n d u ct bu sine ss thro u g h a p ro fe ssion al co rpo rati o n o r a par t ner s hi p for m ed w i t h ot herl i cens ed i ndi vi dual s
. H O §§7- 401, 7- 402. A l i cens ed morti cian als o m ayw or k fora corpor at i on ot her t han a pr ofes s i onal corpor at i on i f t hatcorpor at i on i s one of the corpor at i o n s that w as gr andfa t her ed 60 y ear s ago and r emai ns lice n se d u n d e r th e A c t. H O § 7 -3 0 9 . B yc o n tra st, th e re is n o e x p licit1 1 4 [9 0 O p
. A tt ’y

Cf . 72 Opinions of the Attorney Gene ral 141 (1987) ( Morticians 6 Act bar s unlicensed pe rsons from solicit i n g o r off eringcontra cts for funeral g oods or servic es).
T h e M orticians Ac t reinforces that restriction. HO §7- 402(a) 7 (“O ne or moremorticians may prac tice mortuary scienc e as a profe ssional association”)

. Thus, even if a li cense d mortician happens to be the only member 8 of an LL C, nothing in the LL C Act would prevent that individual from convey ing that interest to an unlicense d person. authori zat i on for a l i censed m ort i ci an t o op erat e his or her busi ness t hr ough an LL C

. G i ven t hatt he s t atut e expr essl y tr eat s and aut hor i zes , t o s om e ext ent , t he oper at i on of a m or tuar ys ci ence bus i nes s t hr ough par t ner s hi ps , pr ofes s i onal corpor at i ons , and ot her c o rp o ra tio n s, th e a b se n c e o f a n y re f e re n c e to L L C s stro n g lysu g g e sts that the L eg isl ature h as n o t auth o ri ze d the o p era ti o n o f a m o rtu ary s c i e n c e b u s i n e s s t h r o u g h a n LL C.
A deci s i on nott o per m i tt he oper at i on of a mortuar ys ci ence bus i nes s t hr ough an L L C is cons i s t entw i t h t he l i ne thatt he L eg isl ature h as o therw ise d raw n in the M o rt ici an s A ct – to en su re t hatanyent i t ypr ovi di ng m or tuar ys ci ence s er vi ces , ot hert han a gr andfa t her ed corpor at i on, i s ow ned and c ont r ol l ed byli ce n s ed i ndi vi dual s
. T he par t ner s hi ps and p rof es s i onal corpor at i ons 6
au tho ri ze d in the M o rt ici an s A c t t o co n d u ct su ch b u sine sses are n ec essa ri ly o w n ed an d co n tr o ll ed b yli ce n sed m o rt ici an s. In p a rticu lar , the a u th o riz a tio n f o r p a rtn e rsh ip s e x ten d s o n ly to par t ner s hi ps of l i cens ed mort i ci ans
. H O §7- 401( a)

. Si m il arly , t he s har ehol der s of a pr ofes s i onal corpor at i on or as s oci at i on m us tal l be

“ q u a lifie d p e rso n s” – e ss e n tially , eith e r in d iv id u a ls lice n se d to pr ovi de t he s er vi ces or par t ner s hi ps or ot her pr ofes s i onal c o rp o r a t i o n s o w n e d b ys u c h in d iv id u a ls . C A § 5 -1 0 9 . T h u s , a professi on al corporat i on t hat op erat es a m ortuarysci ence b usi ness w ou l d necessari l y be ow ned and con t rol l ed by l i censed m ort i ci ans. 7 T her e i s no s i m i l arr es t r i ct i on on m ember s hi p i n an L L C , even i f t he L L C i s i nv olved i n p rovi ding professi on al ser vices

. 8
T h is co n clus ion is al so co n firm ed b yG en era l A ssem b ly ’s r ej ect i on, i n t w o recents es s i ons , of at t empt s t o amend t he M o rt ic ia n s A c t to a u th o ri z e lic e n s u re o f L L C s
. See H ous e B i l l 956 (2 0 0 3 ) (a m e n d in g H O § 7 -3 0 9 to a llo w lice n sin g o f L L C s to o p e ra te m or tuar ys ci ence bus i nes s ) ; H ous e B i l l 1341 ( 2004) ( s am e). T heG en. 109] 115

Th e LL C A c t prov ide s a me c ha nis m f or a pa rtners hip or

so le 9 proprietor ship to convert to an LL C. CA §§4A-211, 4A-212. How ever , an LL C c re ate d in

that ma nn e r h a s n o gre ate r a

uth ority to c on du c t a mortuary servicebusiness than one c rea ted ane w. Yo u h ave not asked, and w e do not address, whethe r the 10 re stric tio ns on

lic e ns ur e of e nti tie s in th is c onte xt raise s anti tr us t c on c e rn s. We note that, twenty year s ag o, the Antitrust Division of this Of fi ce conducte d a re view of thelaw, re gulations, and regulat o ry prac tices g overningmortician license s and did not sugg est that the re stri ction on corporate lice nses was p ro b l ematic, presumably beca use it is clearly

set forth in the statute. See R eport on the Maryla n d Sta t e Board of Mo rti c ian s (August 27, 1985). L e g isla tu re ’s r e f

u sa l to a m e n d a sta tu te is n o t n e c e ss a rily d e t e r mi n a t i v e o f

t h e l e g i s l a t i v e i n t e n t i n o r i g i n a l l ye n a c t i n g t h e l a w. H ow ever , i n ci r cumst ance s s uch as t hes e w her e the s t atut e does not o th e rw ise c o n tem p late lice n su re o f L L C s a n d th e L L C A c t o m its m or tuar y s ci ence s er vi ces fr om t he l i s t of pr ofes s i onal s er vi ces t hat m a yb e p ro v id e d th r o u g h a n L L C , the re jec tio n o f

th e se p ro p o sa ls s uppor t s t he concl us i on t hatt he G ener al A s s embl yhas el ect ed not to e x te n d m o rt ic ia n lic e n s e s to L L C s
. C o mpt r ol l erv. C l yde’s of C hevy C has e, I

nc. , 3 7 7 M d

. 4 7 1 , 5 0 2 -6, 83 3 A

. 2 d 1 0 1 4 (20 0 3 ).
Fi nal l y , t he L L C A ct i t s el f does not confe raut hor i t yt o conduct a mor tu a r y s c i e n c e b u s i n e s s o n a n LLC. W h i l e t h e L L C A ct aut hor i zes L L C s t o r e n d e r“ p r o f es s i onal s er vi ces , ” t hataut hor i zat i on i s qual i fi ed b y the pr ovi s o “[ u ] n l e s s o th e r wis e p r o v i d e d b y l a w or [t he LL C ’ s ] ar t i cl es of i ncorpor at i on.
. . . ” C A §4A

- 20 3

. T hus , t he L L C A ctdoes n otpurpor tt o over r i de anyr es t r i ct i ons i n t he M or t i ci ans A ct

. I ti s al s o not abl e thatm or t i ci ans and mortu ary sc ien c e se rv ice s a re n o t a m o n g th e “ p ro f e ss io n a l se rv ice s” listed in th e L L C A c t. 9
R eas onabl e ar gum ent s can be m ade t hat t he re s t r i ct i ons on t he o p e r a t i o n o f

mo r tu a r ys c i e n c e b u s i n e s s e s b yc o rp o r a t i o n s a n d LL Cs r educe s compet i t i on i n pr i ce a nd qual i t yof s er vi ces w i t houtany count er vai l i ng benef

i t t o t he publ i c. See L et t erof Feder al T r ade 10 C om m i ssi on S t aff to D el egate Joan ne C

. B enson con cerni ng H ou se B i l l 795 ( A pr i l 2, 2004) ( ar gui ng t hatel i m i nat i on of r es t r i ct i ons on c o rp o ra te o w n e rsh ip o f f u n e ra l h o m e s in M a ry lan d w o u ld lik e ly b en ef i tt he publ i c)

. H ow ever , i ti s t he Legi s l atur e’ s r ol e t o w ei gh t hos e ar gum ent s , and w hat everoppos i ng ar gum ent s m aybe off er ed1 1 6 [9 0 O p
. A tt ’y
i n s uppor tof the s t atus quo. T o dat e, t he Legi s l atur e has notchos en t o ex t end t he au t ho ri t yt o o perat e fun eral ho m es t o L L C s.

III
C oncl usi on W h ile th e p o licie s u n d e rly in g th e re stric tio n s o n th e o w n e rsh ip and l i cens i ng of m or tuar ys ci ence bus i nes s es i n M ary land m aybe open t o cr i t i ci s m as t o w het hertheycont i nue t o ben ef it the publ i c, we mu s tc o n s t ru e t h e s t a tu t e i n a c c o r d a n c e wi t h t h e a p p ar ent l egi s l at i ve i nt ent

. In o u r opi ni on, t he G ener al A s s embl yhas not aut hor i zed the B oar d of M or t i ci ans t o appr ove the t r ans ferof a m or t i ci an l i cens e t o an L L C , reg ardl es s of t he i dent i t yof t he m ember s of t he LL C

. N o r d o es the M or t i ci ans A ctper m i tan unl i cens ed LL C t o conducta mortuar ys ci ence bus i nes s t hr ough l i censed i nd i vidual s. J. Jo sep h C u rran , Jr. A t t or ney G ener al
R o b e rt N . M c D o n a ld C hi ef C ouns el O pi ni ons & Advi ce