New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 13 - LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY
Chapter 36 - STATE BOARD OF MORTUARY SCIENCE
Subchapter 5 - MORTUARIES
Section 13:36-5.12 - Advertising

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 13:36-5.12

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024

(a) The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Advertisement" means any attempt, direct or indirect, by publication, dissemination, circulation, or broadcast through the public media or social media to induce any person or entity to purchase or enter into an agreement to accept mortuary or funeral services or merchandise. "Advertisement" includes business cards when business cards are used as copy in an advertisement or are published, disseminated, circulated, or broadcast in the public media, as defined below, or social media.

"Price reduction statement" means a statement, suggestion or implication, direct or indirect, that a service or merchandise is being offered or made available for sale at a price less than the advertiser's routine price. The following words, terms and phrases or their substantial equivalent shall be deemed to indicate a price reduction statement: sale, discount, savings, price cut, bargain, reduced, prices slashed, clearance, regularly, usually, cut rate, originally, formerly, at cost, below cost, wholesale.

"Public media" means newspapers, magazines, periodicals, professional journals, telephone directories, circulars, handbills, flyers, letters, billboards, aerial displays, signs, television, radio, internet and any other similar item, document, publication or device used to communicate to the general public or to a specific group. "Public media" does not include manager signs which are subject to the requirements of 13:36-5.1 or establishment signs which are subject to the requirements of 13:36-5.10.

"Testimonial" means a statement by a person referring to his or her family's personal experience with a mortuary or licensee.

(b) All stationery shall indicate the true firm name of the mortuary as registered with the Board, the address and telephone number of the mortuary, and the name of the manager, and his or her title and license number preceded by the phrase "N.J. Lic. No. ___."

(c) Advertisements shall contain the true firm name, address, and telephone number of the mortuary as registered with the Board. Advertisements shall also contain the name of the manager and the license number of the practitioner preceded by the phrase "N.J. Lic. No. ___."

(d) An advertisement that makes reference to more than one registered mortuary shall comply with (c) above regarding one mortuary provided that only the municipality where the mortuary is located and the true firm name as it is registered with the Board is disclosed for any additional mortuaries listed. If an advertisement for any additional mortuary discloses any further information than the municipality where the mortuary is located and the true firm name as it is registered with the Board, the advertisement shall satisfy the requirements of (c) above.

(e) Telephone book listings of two lines or less or small novelty items where the space of advertising is limited shall disclose the municipality where the registered mortuary is located and the true firm name as it is registered with the Board.

(f) No licensee or owner of a mortuary shall cause to be published, disseminated, circulated or broadcast any advertisement which is false, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading or which misrepresents, suppresses, conceals, obscures or distorts any material fact.

(g) In addition, it shall be deceptive and misleading for any advertisement to contain the following:

1. The name of a person not licensed by the Board in connection with the name of a mortuary in any manner whatsoever, unless the unlicensed person is clearly and obviously identified in the advertisement as such by the use of the phrase "unlicensed and not qualified to make funeral arrangements, embalm or conduct funerals." The surname of an unlicensed person may appear in the title of a mortuary as registered with the Board.
i. The disclosure required pursuant to (g)1 above shall not apply to an intern registered with the Board who is acting under the supervision of a preceptor. If included in an advertisement, the name of the intern, the title "Registered Intern," and the registration number of the intern preceded by the phrase "N.J. Intern Registration No.______shall be listed."

2. A price reduction statement where the advertisement or current price is in fact no less than the price at which the service or merchandise was offered for sale by the advertiser for a reasonable period of time at least 30 days prior to the advertisement. In the absence of the disclosure of the period during which an advertised price reduction will remain in effect, the period shall be deemed to be 30 days from the date of initial publication.

3. An offer of professional services or merchandise where such services or merchandise are in fact not available from the mortuary or are beyond the ability of the licensee to perform or supply.

4. A license number which has not been issued to the alleged licensee, has lapsed or has been revoked or currently suspended.

5. The name, address and telephone number of a mortuary which does not exist, has not been completely constructed or is not currently open for business.

6. A claim of professional superiority or superior quality of services or merchandise, unless such claim can be substantiated by the licensee upon demand by the Board.

7. Intimidation, undue pressure or undue influence.

(h) An advertisement may contain either a lay or expert testimonial, provided that such testimonial is based upon personal knowledge or experience obtained from a provider relationship with the licensee or direct personal knowledge of the subject matter of the testimonial. A lay person's testimonial shall not attest to any technical matter beyond the testimonial giver's competence to comment upon. An expert testimonial shall be rendered only by an individual possessing specialized expertise sufficient to allow the rendering of a bona fide statement or opinion. An advertiser shall be able to substantiate any objective, verifiable statement of fact appearing in a testimonial, and the failure to do so, if required by the Board, may be deemed occupational misconduct.

1. The name of a person not licensed by the Board when appearing in any testimonial for a mortuary shall be accompanied by the following: "unlicensed and not qualified to make funeral arrangements, embalm or conduct a funeral". The surname of an unlicensed person may appear in the title of a mortuary as registered with the Board.

(i) An advertisement which refers to or sets forth a price shall disclose all services or merchandise which will be provided for that price. The name of the manufacturer and the model number of any casket which will be included for that price also shall be disclosed in the advertisement. Where a price is advertised, no additional charges shall be made for the advertised service or disposition unless the advertisement includes a specific delineation of additional services or merchandise which may be necessary.

(j) The responsibility for the form and content of any advertisement shall be joint and several among all licensees who are principals, partners, or officers of the mortuary identified in the advertisement.

(k) An advertisement may include the name of an inactive licensee as defined in 13:36-4.14 provided that the inactive licensee is not held out as the manager, and provided the inactive licensee does not use any title or designation that implies that he or she holds an active license from the Board. Inactive licensees shall use titles or designations that contain the word inactive.

(l) A copy of each printed advertisement and a video or audio tape recording of each broadcast advertisement shall be retained by the licensee for a period of three years from the date of initial publication or dissemination. Each such copy or tape shall be made available for review upon request by the Board.

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