I have been advised today as follows by a representative of Rep. Thomas E.
Saunders <R54(a)ai.org>:
The Department of Natural Resources will be supporting
a bill on this subject matter during the session. Rep.
Saunders sent a letter to the Interim Study Committee
on Natural Resources and they had a meeting this past
summer to discuss the issue. No vote was taken on any
legislative proposals.
I know the Department of Natural Resources will be
supporting a bill this session to address this problem.
However, I am not sure how aggressive their bill will
be. I am trying to establish a meeting with Rep.
Saunders, DNR officials and other legislators who are
interested in the subject to try to get a feel for how
others want to handle the problem.
I will save your name and address so we can rely on you
for expert testimony. You can find what bills have
been introduced on the Access Indiana Web Page at
http://www.state.in.us/legislative/
The following is from Lois:
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Based on the information provided me today, it appears we need to
concentrate on the Legislature's Natural Resources Study Committee, an 1998
Interim Study Committee (see
http://www.state.in.us/legislative/interim/committees/nrsc.html).
The Members of this Committee are:
Sen. Greg Server, Chair <S50(a)ai.org>
Sen. Allie Craycraft <S26(a)ai.org>
Sen. James Lewis <S45(a)ai.org>
Sen. Harold Wheeler <S17(a)ai.org>
Rep. James Bottorff <R71(a)ai.org>
Rep. Markt Lytle <R69(a)ai.org>
Rep. Richard Mangus <R21(a)ai.org>
Rep. Phyllis Pond <R85(a)ai.org>
If you haven't already written to your Legislators, especially if you
haven't written to the individuals above, please take a minute to do so
today -- especially these members of the Natural Resources Study Committee.
When you write to them, tell them what YOU know about cemetery desecration,
abuse and neglect in Indiana. Also tell them that you know that:
Indiana Code 23-14-67 (Care of Cemeteries by
Counties) does not protect them because the
Counties are under no obligation to create or
fund County Cemetery Commissions.
Indiana Code 23-14-68 (Care of Cemeteries by
Townships) does not protect them -- specifically
those on private property, which is the vast
majority -- because it precludes the Township
Trustees from acting to preserve, protect or
maintain cemeteries on property on which taxes
are assessed and paid.
Indiana Code 14-21-1 (DNR -- Historic
Preservation and Archeology) does not protect
them -- in fact specifically permits the
destruction of pioneer graves to conduct
surface coal mining or for agricultural pur-
poses, including farming, dairying, pasturage,
agriculture, horticulture, floriculture,
viticulture, ornamental horticulture,
olericulture, pomiculture, animal husbandry,
and poultry husbandry.
Tell them that you know that, in Indiana, it is
LEGAL to plow, bulldoze or blacktop pioneer
graves!
Then give them your honest opinion about this situation.
Thanks.
Lois
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Next meeting of the Clark County Cemetery Preservation Committee:
Saturday, Jan. 2, 1999 at 2 PM at New Hope Community Church
in Bethlehem, Indiana
Website:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/5881
Help us to distribute the Indiana Pioneer Cemetery Restoration Project's
PETITION TO THE INDIANA LEGISLATURE calling for revision of current
state laws regarding protection and maintenance of pioneer cemeteries:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~inpcrp/Petition.PDF
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