The following is the revised draft of Senate Bill 280, the Bill establishing
the procedure for lawfully moving a grave or cemetery:
DIGEST OF SB280 (Updated February 2, 1999 5:33 pm - DI 84)
Protecting old cemeteries from desecration. Requires that the
person effecting disinterment, removal, and reinterment of a grave
give 60 days written notice to the decedent's next of kin and
publish the notice in a newspaper of general circulation. Requires
the person effecting the removal of graves to file a certificate of
removal facts with the county recorder in the county from which
the graves were removed and the county in which reinterment is
made. Requires that the certificate of removal facts list
information contained on the gravestone or other markers, such
as the birth date, death date, and family name. Requires that
all expenses associated with the disinterment, removal,
acquisition of the new burial site, and reinterment be paid by
the person effecting the disinterment, removal, acquisition,
and reinterment. Requires the person effecting the disinterment,
removal, and reinterment to ensure that the site for reinterment
is suitable and reasonably accessible to relatives of the
decedent. Requires that disinterment, removal, and
reinterment be performed under the supervision and direction
of the county executive or the county executive's designee.
Requires that due care be taken to furnish suitable coffins or
boxes for reinterring human remains and to remove, protect,
and replace [MEANING "REINSTALL"] all gravestones or
other markers. Exempts a church, a religious institution,
or a religious society from the act.
The status and full text of this Bill is available at:
http://www.state.in.us/cgi-bin/legislative/bills/completeBillInfo.perl?billn
um=0280
This Bill has passed through the Senate and has been referred to the House
of Representatives.
Although I object to ANY cemetery or grave being moved, we all know it is
inevitable. Better to have a process "cast in stone" as to the
responsibilities of the party effecting such a move than to continue to
allow them to do with the remains and stones as they wish.
Like HB 1522, there are some genuinely innovative provisions of this Bill
and I intend to do whatever is within my power to see that our General
Assembly knows my opinion that this Bill should be passed into law.
Lois
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Join the Indiana Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~inpcrp
Visit the Clark County Cemeteries page:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/5881
Next CCCPC meeting: 2 PM, Saturday, March 6 at Charlestown Library