nor education 10 min read

By TerraCare

How NOR Bills Get Passed: The Legislative Process Behind Terramation Laws (colloquially referred to as human composting)

Natural organic reduction (NOR) has gone from a single-state experiment to a 14-state legal landscape in just seven years — and that expansion did not happen by accident. Each new law followed a pattern: years of advocacy, a legislative champion willing to introduce a bill, committee hearings, floor votes, a governor’s signature, and then a rulemaking period before families could actually access the service. Understanding how NOR bills get passed helps explain why the map looks the way it does in 2026 — and what it will take for the remaining states to follow. If you live in a state where NOR is not yet legal, this article explains the process and what advocates can do to move it forward.

How does a state legalize natural organic reduction (terramation)?

Legalizing NOR requires a state legislature to pass a bill that explicitly defines NOR as a lawful disposition method, assigns regulatory authority to a state agency, and creates licensing requirements for operators. After the governor signs the bill, a formal rulemaking period — during which the agency writes detailed operational rules — must be completed before providers can be licensed. This rulemaking phase can take many months to over a year, which is why some states are legally compliant but not yet operationally accepting cases.

  • NOR legalization requires affirmative state legislation — without a passed bill, the process is effectively prohibited regardless of safety evidence or consumer demand.
  • Washington SB 5001 (signed May 2019, effective May 2020) established the legislative template all subsequent states have adapted.
  • After a bill is signed, a mandatory rulemaking period during which the state agency writes operational rules must be completed before any provider can be licensed and open.
  • California, New York, and New Jersey are legally compliant but not yet operationally active because rulemaking is still in progress as of April 2026.
  • Oklahoma's HB 3660 passed the Oklahoma House 59-37 in March 2026 and remains pending in the Oklahoma Senate — the total count of legal states stays at 14.
  • From initial groundwork to an operational provider, the realistic timeline is two to five years, as demonstrated by Washington's path from 2016 advocacy to late 2020 operations.

How Did Washington State Pioneer the Legislative Model?

Washington’s story is the template every other state has followed or adapted. In 2019, state Senator Jamie Pedersen introduced SB 5001 — the Natural Organic Reduction bill — with strong backing from NOR advocates, including Katrina Spade, who had spent years researching and advocating for NOR, including a widely viewed 2016 TED Talk that put the concept on the national map.

SB 5001 passed the Washington State Legislature with bipartisan support and was signed by Governor Jay Inslee on May 21, 2019. The law did not take effect immediately: it carried an effective date of May 1, 2020, giving the state’s Department of Licensing time to write implementing rules and give providers time to build facilities and obtain licenses.

The first commercial NOR facility opened in Seattle in late 2020, making Washington the first place in the world where NOR was legally available as a funeral service.

The Washington model established the core legal framework that other states have since used: defining NOR as a lawful form of human disposition, establishing licensure requirements for NOR operators, setting minimum standards for the process and the soil result, and creating a rulemaking pathway for the relevant state agency to fill in operational details.

For a full timeline of NOR legislation across states, see our article on the NOR legislation timeline.

What Is the Typical Legislative Path for an NOR Bill?

While no two states are identical, the pattern across the 14 legal NOR states follows a recognizable sequence:

1. Advocacy and Groundwork Before a bill is introduced, advocates — typically a coalition of green burial organizations, funeral industry groups, environmental nonprofits, and sometimes NOR providers — spend months or years educating legislators, health departments, and the public. In many states, this groundwork phase takes one to three years before a formal bill is even filed.

2. Bill Introduction A state legislator (or a pair of sponsors, one in each chamber) introduces the bill, often after working closely with advocates on the bill’s language. The bill is assigned to one or more committees — typically a health committee and sometimes a judiciary or consumer affairs committee.

3. Committee Hearings Committees hold public hearings where advocates, funeral professionals, health officials, and opponents testify. This is where much of the substantive debate occurs. Bills that do not survive committee never reach a floor vote. Several NOR bills have died in committee in prior years in states that have not yet passed the law.

4. Floor Vote If the bill passes committee, it moves to the full chamber for a vote. If the legislature is bicameral (all U.S. states except Nebraska), the bill must pass both chambers — often with amendments that require reconciliation between House and Senate versions.

5. Governor’s Signature Once both chambers pass matching language, the bill goes to the governor. Most NOR bills have been signed without controversy by their governors, though the political environment matters.

6. Rulemaking Period This is the step most people overlook. After a bill is signed, the designated state agency — usually the health department or department of licensing — must write detailed administrative rules that specify how the law operates in practice. This process involves public comment periods and can take months to more than a year.

7. Operational Launch Only after rulemaking is complete can providers obtain licenses and open for business. This is why some states are legal but not yet operational: California (AB-351, signed 2022, effective January 1, 2027), New York (A382/S5535, signed 2022, regulations still pending), and New Jersey (A4085/S3007, signed 2025, estimated operational around mid-2026) all sit in this gap.

Why Is There a Gap Between Passage and Operations?

The rulemaking gap is one of the most important — and least understood — aspects of NOR legislation. A bill signing is not the finish line. It is more like the starting gun for a separate regulatory process.

Rulemaking gives state agencies the authority to define specifics the legislature deliberately left flexible: minimum vessel standards, soil testing protocols, training requirements for operators, record-keeping obligations, and the process for handling materials like medical implants. Agencies must follow public notice and comment procedures under state administrative law, which takes time even when there is no controversy.

Advocates in legal-but-not-operational states often focus their energy on the rulemaking phase — submitting comments, attending agency hearings, and pushing for timely completion of rules — rather than waiting passively for the law to take effect.

For more on how legal status varies by state, explore our state-by-state NOR information at /blog/state-guides/.

Who Drives NOR Legislation?

The coalition that has advanced NOR laws across the country is not monolithic, but it consistently includes several key actors:

NOR advocates and their networks have been the most sustained national force in NOR legislation. Katrina Spade and NOR advocacy organizations have testified in multiple state legislatures and provided model bill language that states have adopted and adapted.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has supported NOR advocacy, framing it as a climate and environmental issue. The NRDC’s backing has been particularly useful in states where environmental arguments carry weight with legislators.

Funeral director associations play a mixed but important role. In states where the funeral director association has been neutral or supportive, bills have moved more easily. In states where associations are opposed — often because NOR may compete with existing cremation and burial business — legislative progress has been slower.

Green burial and death-positive organizations have contributed to public awareness campaigns that make legislators more receptive to NOR bills. The Green Burial Council and affiliated organizations have been active in multiple states.

Individual legislative champions matter enormously. Bills that have a committed sponsor who understands the issue and is willing to shepherd it through hearings, amendments, and floor debates advance far faster than bills without a champion.

What Opposition Do NOR Bills Typically Face?

Religious opposition is the most consistent source of organized resistance to NOR legislation. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and EWTN News (formerly Catholic News Agency) have explicitly opposed NOR, arguing that it does not constitute respectful treatment of human remains and conflicts with Catholic teaching on bodily integrity and resurrection. In states with significant Catholic populations or legislators, this opposition carries political weight and has contributed to delays in some states.

Traditional funeral industry concerns have also appeared in some legislative debates, with some funeral home operators and their associations arguing that NOR creates unfair competitive conditions or that existing facilities cannot accommodate the new service category. These concerns have generally been addressed through licensing frameworks that allow existing funeral homes to partner with or offer NOR.

Health department skepticism about a novel process — particularly regarding soil safety and pathogen elimination — has been raised in some states. Advocates have addressed these concerns by citing Washington State University research and the operational track record of states that have already legalized NOR.

For a deeper look at opposition arguments and how they have fared legally, see our article on NOR legal challenges and opposition.

What Is Happening in States That Haven’t Passed NOR Yet?

As of April 2026, the most notable pending legislation is Oklahoma’s HB 3660, which passed the Oklahoma House 59-37 on March 24, 2026 and is currently pending in the Oklahoma Senate. Oklahoma has not signed NOR into law, and the current count of legal NOR states remains 14.

Other states with active or recent NOR legislation include Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Utah, and Connecticut, each at varying stages of legislative consideration. The trajectory of NOR legislation over the past seven years suggests the list of legal states will continue to grow — but the timing depends heavily on state-specific political conditions.

Ready to explore terramation options? Contact TerraCare Partners at /get-started/

If you live in a state where NOR is not yet legal and want to change that, the most effective actions are:

Contact your state legislators directly. A constituent call or letter asking a legislator to consider NOR legislation carries real weight, especially in states where no bill has yet been introduced.

Connect with existing advocacy organizations. The NRDC has been involved in multi-state advocacy and can direct you to local coalitions or model bill resources. The Green Burial Council maintains a network of state affiliates.

Engage with your state funeral director association. Associations that understand NOR and see a pathway to offering it are more likely to be neutral or supportive — which improves a bill’s odds significantly.

Be patient with the timeline. From initial advocacy to operational service, the realistic window is two to five years. Washington started serious groundwork in 2016 and had an operational provider in late 2020.

For more context on the full regulatory landscape surrounding NOR, see our complete guide to natural organic reduction and our article on federal regulations affecting terramation.

FAQ

How long does it typically take for an NOR bill to pass after it’s introduced?

From introduction to a signed bill, one to three sessions — roughly two to four years — is typical. Washington passed in a single session after years of prior groundwork; other states have seen bills die and return across multiple sessions.

Why are California, New York, and New Jersey not yet operational if they passed NOR laws?

All three states are in the rulemaking phase: state agencies must write the operational rules before providers can be licensed. California’s law takes effect January 1, 2027; New York and New Jersey are still completing rulemaking.

Did Oklahoma legalize NOR in 2026?

No. Oklahoma’s HB 3660 passed the Oklahoma House 59-37 in March 2026 but remains pending in the Oklahoma Senate as of April 2026. Oklahoma has not signed NOR into law — the count stays at 14 legal states.

Which organizations are most active in NOR legislative advocacy?

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and NOR advocacy organizations have been the most sustained national forces. State-level green burial organizations and supportive funeral director associations have also been important at the state level.

Can I help advocate for NOR in my state even if I’m not a funeral professional?

Yes. Contacting legislators, attending public hearings, and writing letters of support all contribute. Legislators weigh constituent interest when deciding whether to prioritize a bill.

Learn more about terramation providers near you — contact TerraCare Partners at /get-started/

Sources

  1. Washington State Legislature — SB 5001 (2019): https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5001&Year=2019
  2. Colorado Legislature — SB 21-006 (2021): https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb21-006
  3. Oregon Legislative Assembly — HB 2574 (2021): https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/HB2574
  4. California Legislature — AB-351 (2022): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB351
  5. Oklahoma Legislature — HB 3660 (2026): https://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB3660&Session=2600
  6. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) — Green Burial and NOR Advocacy: https://www.nrdc.org
  7. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) — Statement on Human Remains: https://www.usccb.org
  8. EWTN News (formerly Catholic News Agency) — Coverage of NOR Opposition: https://www.ewtnnews.com
  9. Green Burial Council: https://www.greenburialcouncil.org