Covered at Reason 24/7: Louisiana Monks Keep Right to Sell Caskets
Sorry, Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, your casket licensing (and monopoly) scheme appears to be heading to its grave. Damon Root reported in October that the Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit had struck down a rule attempting to block a group of monks from selling their own handmade caskets.
Today a panel within the court upheld the decision. The Associated Press reports:
A federal appeals court says Benedictine monks may keep selling caskets from their monastery in Louisiana.
The three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling in favor of St. Joseph Abbey and against the state board of funeral directors' rule that only state-licensed funeral directors can legally sell caskets in Louisiana.
A judge wrote there was no "rational basis" for the restriction.
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