On May 21, 2025, the Private Columbaria (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed in LegCo. This bill seeks to enhance the regulatory regime for private columbaria in Hong Kong, focusing on pre-cut-off columbaria, which were operating before June 2017.
This article was generated using SAMS, an AI technology by Timothy Loh LLP.
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On May 21, 2025, the Private Columbaria (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed in LegCo. This bill seeks to enhance the regulatory regime governing private columbaria in Hong Kong, with a focus on pre-cut-off columbaria, which were in operation before the enactment of the Private Columbaria Ordinance in June 2017.
The bill aims to provide eligible pre-cut-off columbaria an option to apply for exemption, allowing them to continue operating at their current scale without the need for large-scale ash disposal. This exemption is conditional on the columbaria meeting certain criteria, such as being under processing for a license and not located in residential areas.
The bill also enhances enforcement provisions to increase deterrent effects by raising penalties for non-compliance, overselling niches, and over-placing ashes. Additionally, the bill proposes that the Private Columbaria Appeal Board may receive new materials only upon showing special grounds and disapplies the Ordinance from eligible masons' workshops meeting certain conditions.
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