A couple of weeks ago, the WV Senate passed SB 90 which, if adopted by the House or if combined with a bill from the House would be a step forward in permitting access to family or private cemeteries by cemetery plot owners, heirs of deceased persons, family members of deceased persons and persons interested in engaging in genealogy research for the purposes of visitation of the grave sites, maintenance of the grave site or cemetery or research. It would also create a cause of action for injunctive relief if a person is not permitted access to the cemetery, requires visitors to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and limits the use of motor vehicles when accessing the cemetery. Now the House has HB 4370 in committee. If it does not get out of committee and if it is not acted upon in the next couple of weeks, the bill will die and there will be no relief. You can read HB4370 in its entirety at: http://129.71.161.247/scripts/as_web.exe?hbills2000+D+7832961 The genealogical and historical communities in West Virginia began acting in concert four years ago when we established History Day at the Legislature. Now is the time for us to get our act even more together and contact our delegates about the importance of this bill!!! The property rights activists are sending negative comments to the sponsors of this bill and others. Let us, West Virginia's genealogists, family researchers and historians, work together to preserve an important part of our history and gain access to our sacred grounds. If you live in West Virginia, please contact your delegate about this bill and getting it out of committee. Some of the people who can help us get this out of committee and hopefully get it approved are Delegates Rick Staten, Bob Ashley, Oscar Hines and the delegates who introduced the bill: Facemyer, Faircloth, L. White, Amores. For further information about the legislature you can visit http://www.LEGIS.state.wv.us