Some of you asked what is being done in other states to preserve and protect old cemeteries. So I am copying this message from the TX-Cemetery list administrator. Hopefully this proposed legistlation will pass. Can't see why anyone would object. But you never know. And if it doesn't we will have to wait two more years. And you all know what could happen in two years. Janet Crain ========================================== ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donna" <dbrand@itexas.net> To: <TX-CEMETERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, February 02, 2001 9:32 AM Subject: [TX-Cem] House Bill 1030 Hi all, We have a new House Bill, House Bill 1030 Adopt-A-Cemetery, affecting the protection of our TX Cemeteries. A copy of the Bill's wording has been included in this message and appears below. We have 120 days in which to write to the Governor and express our desire to have this bill passed into law. If the bill does not pass this year it won't be eligible for review again until 2003. At this time email submission of a person's concerns are not accepted. You may find information on how to contact Governor Rick Perry at this address: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/acgperry2001/contact.htm I will have a web page up by this afternoon with a link directly to the information on our web site's home page. You may encourage folks to read all about it there. This is one I will encourage all my friends to support. donna http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~txcemeteries/ *********************************************************************** By Isett H.B. No. 1030 77R4167 MCK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the identification and preservation of abandoned 1-3 cemeteries. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 442, Government Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Section 442.017 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 442.017. IDENTIFICATION AND PRESERVATION OF ABANDONED 1-8 CEMETERIES. (a) The commission shall establish a program to 1-9 identify and preserve abandoned cemeteries across the state. 1-10 (b) The commission is encouraged to use volunteers to the 1-11 maximum extent possible to implement the program and to model the 1-12 program to the extent appropriate on the Adopt-A-Beach program 1-13 conducted by the General Land Office. 1-14 (c) The legislature may appropriate money to the commission 1-15 to implement the program. 1-16 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 1-17 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 1-18 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 1-19 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 1-20 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.