§23-4-4. Funeral expenses; wrongfully seeking payment; criminal penalties.

(a) In case the personal injury causes death, reasonable funeral or cemetery expense, in an amount to be fixed, from time to time, by the Insurance Commissioner, shall be paid by the Insurance Commissioner, the private carrier, or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, to persons who have furnished the services and supplies, or to the persons who have advanced payment for the services and supplies, in addition to any award made to the employee’s dependents.

(b) A funeral director or any person who furnished the services and supplies associated with the funeral or cemetery expenses, or a person who has advanced payment for the services and supplies, is prohibited from making any charge or charges against the employee’s dependents for funeral expenses which would result in a total charge for funeral expenses in excess of the amount fixed by the Insurance Commissioner, unless:

(1) The person seeking funeral expenses notifies, in writing and prior to the rendering of any service, the employee’s dependent as to the exact cost of the service and the exact amount the employee’s dependent would be responsible for paying in excess of the amount fixed by the Insurance Commissioner; and

(2) The person seeking funeral expenses secures, in writing and prior to the rendering of any service, consent from the employee’s dependent that he or she will be responsible to make payment for the amount in excess of the amount fixed by the Insurance Commissioner.

(c) Any person who knowingly and willfully seeks or receives payment of funeral expenses in excess of the amount fixed by the Insurance Commissioner without satisfying both of the requirements of subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined $3,000 or confined in jail for a definite term of confinement of 12 months, or both.