California · Health and Safety Code - HSC

HSC §123445: (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), at the conclusion of any scientific or laboratory research or any other kind of experimentation or study upon fetal remains, the fetal remains shall be promp

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

Fetal remains used in research must be promptly buried or incinerated after use, stored privately without public access, and prevented from deteriorating into a health hazard. Educational institutions are exempt. Violation is a misdemeanor.

Read the full statutory text
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), at the conclusion of any scientific or laboratory research or any other kind of experimentation or study upon fetal remains, the fetal remains shall be promptly interred or disposed of by incineration. Storage of the fetal remains prior to the completion of the research, experimentation, or study shall be in a place not open to the public, and the method of storage shall prevent any deterioration of the fetal remains that would create a health hazard. (b) Subdivision (a) shall not apply to public or private educational institutions. Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.