State Representative Harvey Hilderbran has introduced the following bills HB1011 deals with abandoned cemeteries on private property and the changes will allow the property owner to petition a District Court to remove the cemetery dedication on the land and will then require the removal of all human remains. This bill changes will also require notice of such filing requiring it must be given to the Texas Historical Commission and will allow the THC and local county historical commissions to intervene as parties to the lawsuit. HB1012 deals with desecration of cemeteries and abusing a corpse (as in digging up graves) and toughens the criminal prosecution, juvenile courts and restitution procedures. If the juvenile is unable to pay the restitution costs, the parents are to pay and the individual is required to perform community service. The conviction of any offense under this new law will be a state jail Felony or Class C misdemeanor. The law will allow for the protection of ground burials but also adds wording protecting, crypts, mausoleums, niches, etc. This law also adds wording specifically related to anyone who "defaces, vandalizes, injures, or removes a gravestone, monument, or other structure commemorating a deceased person or group of deceased persons, whether located within or outside of a cemetery." The bill adds protective language so that actions taken by cemetery associations or other individuals caring for the cemetery are not subject to this law. We have lost some cemeteries here in Erath county which HB1011 might have helped protect. And HB1012 is needed to make people understand damaging the monuments in a cemetery is not a prank. I would hope we would let our State Representatives know we want the to support these bills. I know Sid Miller of Erath is very interested in the protection of historical monuments and would support these bills.

why do you say 1011 would protect the cemeteries, seems it supports getting rid of them easier? is it the part of the THC being able to block the removal? ----- Original Message ----- From: "John A. Stovall" <johnastovall@earthlink.net> To: <TXERATH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2005 1:36 PM Subject: [ERATH] New bills supporting Cemetery Preservation > State Representative Harvey Hilderbran has introduced the following bills > > HB1011 deals with abandoned cemeteries on private property and the changes > will allow the property owner to petition a District Court to remove the > cemetery dedication on the land and will then require the removal of all > human remains. > > This bill changes will also require notice of such filing requiring it > must be given to the Texas Historical Commission and will allow the THC and > local county historical commissions to intervene as parties to the lawsuit. > > HB1012 deals with desecration of cemeteries and abusing a corpse (as in > digging up graves) and toughens the criminal prosecution, juvenile courts > and restitution procedures. If the juvenile is unable to pay the > restitution costs, the parents are to pay and the individual is required to > perform community service. The conviction of any offense under this new law > will be a state jail Felony or Class C misdemeanor. > > The law will allow for the protection of ground burials but also adds > wording protecting, crypts, mausoleums, niches, etc. This law also adds > wording specifically related to anyone who "defaces, vandalizes, injures, > or removes a gravestone, monument, or other structure commemorating a > deceased person or group of deceased persons, whether located within or > outside of a cemetery." > > The bill adds protective language so that actions taken by cemetery > associations or other individuals caring for the cemetery are not subject > to this law. > > We have lost some cemeteries here in Erath county which HB1011 might have > helped protect. And HB1012 is needed to make people understand damaging the > monuments in a cemetery is not a prank. > > I would hope we would let our State Representatives know we want the to > support these bills. I know Sid Miller of Erath is very interested in the > protection of historical monuments and would support these bills. > > > ==== TXERATH Mailing List ==== > --- Author Retains Copyright --- > -- Copyright 2005 Author -- All Rights Reserved > Post to List: TXERATH-L@rootsweb.com http://www.selfroots.com > Unsubscribe request To: TXERATH-L-request@rootsweb.com > ARCHIVES: http://searches2.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > >