---
type: "Bill"
title: "CNTY CD-CREMATE UNCLAIMED BODY"
description: "Amends the Counties Code. Provides that if human remains are unclaimed by family or friends, the coroner may bury or cremate (now, bury) the remains. Provides that a coroner may not approve the cremation of a body if it is necessary to preserve the body for law enforcement purposes. Effective immediately."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "96th"
identifier: "SB 3478"
citation: "Illinois SB 3478 (96th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 35
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2010-02-10"
last_action: "2010-07-27"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/dbcf240d-fb23-4832-b2f4-1cef395b23d9"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3478&GAID=10&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=51387&SessionID=76&GA=96"
source_hash: "e3b4669857fad8f8a5a561e9616bbde0040275dc0d2ece5806ae7cadb76030eb"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois SB 3478 (96th) — CNTY CD-CREMATE UNCLAIMED BODY

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that if human remains are unclaimed by family or friends, the coroner may bury or cremate (now, bury) the remains. Provides that a coroner may not approve the cremation of a body if it is necessary to preserve the body for law enforcement purposes. Effective immediately.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600SB3478&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=51387&DocNum=3478&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600SB3478eng&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=51387&DocNum=3478&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600SB3478enr&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=SB&LegID=51387&DocNum=3478&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **46–0** (pass) · upper
- Concurrence — **49–0** (pass) · upper
- Third Reading — **97–16** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Dave Syverson — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2010-02-10** Filed with Secretary by Sen. Dave Syverson `filing`
- **2010-02-10** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2010-02-10** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2010-02-24** Assigned to Local Government `referral-committee`
- **2010-03-04** Do Pass Local Government; 008-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2010-03-04** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 9, 2010
- **2010-03-11** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2010-03-11** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 12, 2010
- **2010-03-15** Third Reading - Passed; 046-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2010-03-15** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2010-03-16** Chief House Sponsor Rep. Dave Winters
- **2010-03-16** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2010-03-16** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2010-03-16** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2010-04-08** Assigned to Counties & Townships Committee `referral-committee`
- **2010-04-14** Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Dan Brady
- **2010-04-15** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Counties & Townships Committee `amendment-introduction`
- **2010-04-15** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Counties & Townships Committee; by Voice Vote `amendment-passage`
- **2010-04-15** Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Counties & Townships Committee; 007-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2010-04-15** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2010-04-20** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2010-04-20** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2010-04-22** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 097-016-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2010-04-23** Secretary's Desk - Concurrence House Amendment(s) 1
- **2010-04-23** Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence House Amendment(s) 1 - April 27, 2010
- **2010-04-27** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Filed with Secretary Sen. Dave Syverson `filing`
- **2010-04-27** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2010-05-03** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Assignments Referred to Local Government `referral-committee`
- **2010-05-03** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion To Concur Recommended Do Adopt Local Government; 006-000-000
- **2010-05-03** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs 049-000-000
- **2010-05-03** Passed Both Houses
- **2010-06-01** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2010-07-27** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2010-07-27** Effective Date July 27, 2010
- **2010-07-27** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-1339 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/dbcf240d-fb23-4832-b2f4-1cef395b23d9`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).