Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=HB2826%20intr.htm&yr=2012&sesstype=RS&i=2826
Timestamp: 2020-01-27 00:27:27
Document Index: 218866544

Matched Legal Cases: ['§29', '§37', '§37', '§37', '§29', '§37', '§37', '§37']

Caputo and Fragale)
A BILL to amend and reenact §29-1-8a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §37-13-2 and §37-13-4 of said code; and to amend and reenact §37-13A-5 of said code, all relating to clarifying procedures for protection of graves and burial sites, clarifying when disturbance is a crime and enhancing the opportunity for public access to cemeteries on private land and for public involvement in petitions to excavate graves.
That §29-1-8a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931 as amended, be amended and reenacted, that §37-13-2 and §37-13-4 of said code be amended and reenacted; and that §37-13A-5 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
(3) A person who, either by himself or herself or through an agent, intentionally excavates, removes, destroys or otherwise disturbs a grave or human skeletal remains of historical significance whose existence is known without first having been issued a valid permit by the Director of the Historic Preservation Section or a permit issued pursuant to article thirteen, chapter thirty-seven of this code, or who fails to comply with the terms and conditions relating to disinterment or displacement of human skeletal remains of such permit, is guilty of the felony of disinterment or displacement of a dead human body or parts thereof under section fourteen, article eight, chapter sixty-one of this code and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility not more than five years.
(7) A penalty may not be had against any person for the unintentional disturbance of a grave or human skeletal remains, including disturbance where the existence of the grave or human skeletal remains was unknown, if, upon discovery, the person engaged in the farming, development, mining, improvement or other activity ceases all such work immediately upon discovery, treats the discovered grave or skeletal remains with respect by no further disturbance and other appropriate acts, and complies with subsection (d) of this section.
(7) (8) It is a complete defense in a prosecution under this section if the defendant can prove by a preponderance of evidence that the alleged acts were accidental or inadvertent and that reasonable efforts were made to preserve the remains accidentally disturbed or discovered, and that the accidental discovery or disturbance was properly reported.
(8) (9) This subsection does not apply to actions taken in the performance of official law-enforcement duties.
Any owner of private lands, may, as plaintiff, institute an action for the purposes set forth in section one of this article by filing a petition before the circuit court of the county in which the lands affected are located. Such The petition shall show the title to such the lands, the condition of the graves in question, the interests of all persons in such the lands and in the remains in such the graves, so far as known, the reasons why removal is sought, and the proposed disposition of such remains. The petition shall further show that plaintiffs have made reasonable and diligent effort to ascertain the identity of each deceased and each deceased's surviving next of kin, heirs-at-law, administrator, executor or personal representative. A copy of the petition shall be provided by electronic means or regular mail to the historic preservation section of the Division of Culture and History and to the state Genealogical Society at its last known address. The court may, if deemed considered necessary, appoint a guardian ad litem to protect the interests of known or unknown persons in interest, whether living or dead.
No sooner than three six weeks from the filing of such petition the court shall take evidence upon relief sought, together with any evidence presented in opposition thereto. In granting or denying such relief the court shall consider, as well as other evidence adduced, evidence as to the wishes of all persons concerned, whether living or deceased, including evidence offered by the historic preservation section of the Division of Culture and History and the state Genealogical Society, or National Historic Preservation and shall exercise a sound discretion in granting or refusing, in whole or in part, the relief sought. If the court is satisfied with the propriety of the relief sought by plaintiffs it shall enter an order granting the same, either in whole or in part.
(a) An authorized person denied or threatened with the denial of reasonable access under the provisions of this article, including the denial of permission to use vehicular access, may institute a proceeding in the magistrate court or circuit court of the county in which the cemetery or grave site is located to enjoin the owner of the private lands on which the cemetery or grave site is located, or his or her agent, from denying the authorized person reasonable ingress and egress to the cemetery or grave site for the purposes set forth in this article. In granting relief, the court may set the frequency of access, hours and duration of the access.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to preserve and protect family cemeteries by clarifying procedures for protection of graves and burial sites, clarifying when disturbance is a crime and enhancing the opportunity for public access to cemeteries on private land and for public involvement to petition to excavate graves.