(1) This part 1 shall not apply to, or in any way interfere with, the duties of the following persons:

(a) An officer of a public institution;

(b) An officer of a medical college, county medical society, anatomical association, or college of embalming; or

(c) A person acting under the authority of part 2 of article 34 of this title.

(2) (a) This part 1 shall not apply to, nor in any way interfere with, any custom or rite of any religious sect in the burial of its dead, and the members and followers of the religious sect may continue to provide memorial services for, care for, prepare, and bury the bodies of deceased members of the religious sect, free from any term or condition, or any provision of this part 1, and are not subject to this part 1, so long as the human remains are refrigerated, frozen, embalmed, interred, or cremated within seven days after death.

(b) If human remains are refrigerated or embalmed pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), the body must be interred, frozen, or cremated within thirty days after death unless the coroner authorizes otherwise in writing. The coroner shall not permit an exception to this paragraph (b) unless the applicant can demonstrate a legitimate delay caused by unforeseen uncontrollable circumstances or by a criminal investigation.

(c) Notwithstanding this subsection (2), upon the receipt of evidence that the human remains likely contained a serious contagious disease, the state department of public health and environment, the state board of health, or a local department of health may issue an order overruling this subsection (2).

(3) A person who sells or offers to sell caskets, urns, or other funeral goods, but does not provide funeral services, shall not be subject to this article.

(4) If a funeral director, mortuary science practitioner, or embalmer has acted in good faith, the funeral director, mortuary science practitioner, or embalmer may rely on a signed statement from a person with the right of final disposition under section 15-19-106, C.R.S., that:

(a) The person knows of no document expressing the deceased's wishes for final disposition that qualifies to direct the final disposition under section 15-19-104, C.R.S.;

(b) The person has made a reasonable effort under section 15-19-106, C.R.S., to contact each person with the right of final disposition and to learn his or her wishes; and

(c) The person knows of no objections to the final disposition.

(5) (a) (I) A funeral establishment, funeral director, or mortuary science practitioner may dispose of cremated remains at the expense of the person with the right of final disposition one hundred eighty days after cremation if the person was given clear prior notice of this paragraph (a) and a reasonable opportunity to collect the cremated remains, the exact location of the final disposition and the costs associated with the final disposition are recorded, and the recovery of the cremated remains is possible. Recovery of costs is limited to a reasonable amount of the costs actually expended by the funeral establishment, funeral director, or mortuary science practitioner.

(II) A funeral establishment, funeral director, or mortuary science practitioner may comply with this paragraph (a) by transferring the cremated remains and the records showing the funeral establishment and the deceased's name, date of birth, and next of kin for final disposition to a facility or place normally used for final disposition if the new custodian can comply with this paragraph (a).

(III) If cremated remains are not claimed by the person with the right of final disposition within three years after cremation, a funeral establishment, funeral director, or mortuary science practitioner may dispose of the remains in an unrecoverable manner by placing the remains in an ossuary or by scattering the remains in a dedicated cemetery, scattering garden, or consecrated ground used exclusively for these purposes.

(IV) The custodian is not liable for the loss or destruction of records required to be kept by this paragraph (a) if the loss or destruction was not caused by the custodian's negligence.

(b) If the person was cremated prior to July 1, 2003, and the funeral director or mortuary science practitioner reasonably attempts to notify the person with the right of final disposition of the provisions of this subsection (5), the cremated remains may be disposed of in accordance with this subsection (5) notwithstanding a failure to provide the notice of the provisions of this subsection (5) to the person with the right of final disposition prior to disposing of the remains.