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DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to improve transparency with county coroners and their potential financial interests in funeral homes and mortuaries. SB26-105, sponsored by Representatives Matt Martinez and Tisha Mauro in response to the incident with the Pueblo County Coroner, passed by a vote of 62-0.
“The tragedies that have been uncovered in death care companies are heartbreaking for Coloradans and their families. Our bill is one of many steps that we are taking to ensure that these injustices never happen again,” said Rep. Matt Martinez, D-Monte Vista. “County coroners’ financial ties to funeral homes and mortuaries should be disclosed. Our legislation would make the death care industry more transparent, giving Coloradans the certainty that their loved one is being treated respectfully.”
“The Davis Mortuary incident last summer, among others in Colorado, has made Coloradans question who they can trust to handle the remains of their loved ones, ” said Rep. Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo. “We should be able to trust that funeral homes are using proper protocol, but these recent events have shaken that trust. Requiring county coroners to be transparent with their financial interests in death care businesses would aid in potential investigations and help rebuild trust in Colorado’s death care industry.”
SB26-105 would require a county coroner to disclose if they own, work for, manage, contract with, or otherwise have a financial interest in a death care business. Under the bill, county coroners would post a notice on the coroner’s website and would be prohibited from taking official actions that would impact that business. The bill also changes the county population threshold for the certification requirements for coroners from at least 150,000 to at least 300,000 people. This would help alleviate problems for smaller counties where there may not be enough residents eligible to serve as their county coroner, according to current law.
In 2022, the Colorado General Assembly passed a law directing the state to inspect and investigate funeral homes and crematories for malpractice based on complaints. A 2024 law requires regular inspections of Colorado’s funeral homes and crematories.
When the state conducted an annual inspection at Davis Mortuary in Pueblo in August 2025, it found several mishandled bodies, some of which had been decomposing for over 15 years. The mortuary was owned by then-Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter, who is alleged to have used his position to direct deceased people without next-of-kin to his mortuary. The investigation is ongoing.