Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 40-6 - Public Assistance Act
Section 40-6-3.10. - Funeral and burial expenses.

§ 40-6-3.10. Funeral and burial expenses.
(a) The department may provide for vendor payment of reasonable funeral and burial expenses of deceased residents of this state who are found eligible in accordance with rules and regulations of the department. The department shall, from time to time, establish cost standards for the reasonable funeral and burial expenses, which cost standards shall establish the maximum amount payable by this department for the expenses and the maximum, total allowable funeral and burial costs. The amount payable under this section shall be determined with due regard to the income and resources of the deceased and his or her legally-liable relatives, if any, and shall be reduced dollar-for-dollar by contributions of friends or other kindred in excess of the maximum total allowable funeral and burial costs established by the department.
(b) Application for payment of funeral and burial expenses shall be made on behalf of a decedent before final funeral arrangements with a funeral director are concluded. Provided, that any legally liable relative and/or agent of the decedent may make an application under this section within thirty (30) days after the death of the decedent.
(c) In determining either eligibility for benefits and/or the amount of any reduction in benefits paid under this section, the department shall exclude any of the following forms of income:
(1) Veterans’ benefits; and/or
(2) Social Security lump-sum benefits.
(d) The department’s standard, basic-allowance payment shall be set at nine hundred dollars ($900).
(e) The amount of the contribution that friends or other kindred, except for legally-liable relatives, may make for upgraded services and merchandise, without affecting eligibility for the basic allowance, shall be set at one thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600).
(f) Whenever the person having custody of an unclaimed deceased body as specified in § 23-18.1-1 contacts the department of human services to report the unclaimed body of a deceased person, the department shall deem this referral as an application of payment for funeral and burial expenses, and the department shall process that application in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(g) In the event that the department determines that the unclaimed deceased body is not eligible for a vendor payment of reasonable funeral and burial expenses because of the availability of the decedent’s assets, the director of the department may nonetheless authorize the burial of the person and he or she may notify the specified funeral home of the existence of the decedent’s assets.
History of Section.P.L. 1987, ch. 118, art. 13, § 2; P.L. 2000, ch. 365, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 470, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 201, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 350, § 2.

Structure Rhode Island General Laws

Rhode Island General Laws

Title 40 - Human Services

Chapter 40-6 - Public Assistance Act

Section 40-6-1. - Short title — “Public assistance” and “department” defined.

Section 40-6-2. - Purpose.

Section 40-6-3. - General public assistance.

Section 40-6-3.1. - Eligibility for general public assistance.

Section 40-6-3.2. - Form of assistance.

Section 40-6-3.3. - [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-3.4 - — 40-6-3.6. [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-3.7. - Local welfare offices.

Section 40-6-3.8. - [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-3.9. - [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-3.10. - Funeral and burial expenses.

Section 40-6-3.11. - “Dependent child” defined.

Section 40-6-3.12. - Enteral nutrition products.

Section 40-6-4. - [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-4.1. - Ineligibility for aid or assistance — Commitment to training school or adult correctional institutions.

Section 40-6-5. - [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-5.1. - [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-5.2. - Cashing of AFDC, GPA checks.

Section 40-6-5.3. - [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-6. - Authorization to pay assistance.

Section 40-6-7. - [Repealed.]

Section 40-6-7.1. - Expanded eligibility for pregnant women and young children.

Section 40-6-7.2. - Presumptive eligibility for pregnant women.

Section 40-6-8. - Supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP).

Section 40-6-8.1. - Prohibited uses of electronic benefit transfer cards.

Section 40-6-8.2. - Establishment of retail SNAP incentives pilot program.

Section 40-6-9. - Assignment and subrogation for recovery of child, spousal and medical support rights.

Section 40-6-9.1. - Data matching — Healthcare coverages.

Section 40-6-10. - Effect of assistance on receipt of workers’ compensation benefits.

Section 40-6-11. - Report of income by recipients.

Section 40-6-12. - Records as to assistance.

Section 40-6-12.1. - Warrants — Release of information.

Section 40-6-13. - Appeals — Hearings.

Section 40-6-14. - Assistance not assignable — Exemption from process.

Section 40-6-15. - Fraudulently obtaining assistance.

Section 40-6-16. - Fraudulent use of food stamps.

Section 40-6-17. - Receipt and use of federal funds.

Section 40-6-18. - Agreements with other states.

Section 40-6-19. - Complainant in actions to invoke penalties.

Section 40-6-20. - Prosecution of criminal actions.

Section 40-6-21. - Child support — Income tax refund offset.

Section 40-6-21.1. - Voluntary acknowledgement of paternity — Hospital-based program.

Section 40-6-21.2. - Child medical support garnishment — State income tax offset.

Section 40-6-22. - Disclosure of information — Penalty.

Section 40-6-23. - Release of wage and earnings information.

Section 40-6-24. - Recipient not deemed pauper.

Section 40-6-25. - Rules and regulations.

Section 40-6-26. - Severability.

Section 40-6-27. - Supplemental Security Income.

Section 40-6-27.1. - Supplementary cash assistance program for severely disabled and elderly residents.

Section 40-6-27.2. - Supplementary cash assistance payment for certain Supplemental Security Income recipients.

Section 40-6-28. - Interim cash assistance for individuals with disabilities.

Section 40-6-29. - Healthcare benefits — Employers — Discrimination against public assistance recipients.