GA Code § 10-14-16 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 10 - Commerce and Trade|Chapter 14 - Cemetery and Funeral Services|§ 10-14-16. Cemetery Rules and Regulations; Service Charges

  The owner of every cemetery may make, adopt, and enforce rules and regulations for the use, care, control, management, restriction, and protection of such cemetery and of all parts and subdivisions thereof; for restricting, limiting, and regulating the use of all property within such cemetery; for regulating and preventing the introduction and care of plants or shrubs within such grounds; for regulating the conduct of persons and preventing improper assemblages therein; and for all other purposes deemed necessary by the owner of the cemetery for the proper conduct of the business of the cemetery and the protection of safeguarding the premises and the principles, plans, and ideas on which the cemetery was organized. From time to time, the owner may amend, add to, revise, change, modify, or abolish such rules and regulations. Such rules and regulations shall be plainly printed or typewritten, posted conspicuously, and maintained, subject to inspection and copy, at the usual place for transacting the regular business of the cemetery; provided, however, that no cemetery to which the provisions of this chapter are applicable shall have the power to adopt any rule or regulation in conflict with any of the provisions of this chapter or in derogation of the contract rights of lot owners or owners of burial rights. Upon request, the registrant shall provide a copy of said rules and regulations to any person who requests it.   The owner of every cemetery shall have the further right to establish reasonable rules and regulations regarding the type material, design, composition, finish, and specifications of any and all merchandise to be used or installed in the cemetery. Subject to the provisions of this Code section and rules of the Secretary of State, reasonable rules may further be adopted regarding the installing by the cemetery or others of all merchandise to be installed in the cemetery. Such rules and regulations shall be posted conspicuously and maintained, subject to inspection and copy, at the usual place for transacting the regular business of the cemetery. Upon request, the registrant shall provide a copy of said rules and regulations to any person requesting it. No cemetery owner shall have the right to prevent the use of any merchandise purchased by a lot owner or owner of a burial right, his or her representative, his or her agent, or his or her heirs or assigns from any source, provided the merchandise meets all rules and regulations.   All registrants shall have a full and complete schedule of all charges for grave lots, burial rights, burial or funeral merchandise, and burial or funeral services provided by the registrant plainly printed or typewritten, posted conspicuously, and maintained, subject to inspection and copy, at the usual place for transacting the regular business of the cemetery. Upon request, the registrant shall provide a copy of said schedule of charges to any person requesting it.     (Code 1981, §44-3-141, enacted by Ga. L. 1983, p. 1508, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 22, § 44; Ga. L. 1985, p. 149, § 44; Code 1981, §10-14-16, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2000, p. 882, § 1.)   Cross references.   - Abandoned cemetery lots, § 44-5-211.   JUDICIAL DECISIONS   Statute of limitations.    - Violations of former O.C.G.A. § 44-3-141 (see now O.C.G.A. § 10-14-16) alleged in a complaint were treated as violations of former O.C.G.A. § 44-3-142 (see now O.C.G.A. § 10-14-17) and were subject to the two-year statute of limitation. Reeves v. Edge, 225 Ga. App. 615, 484 S.E.2d 498 (1997)(decided under former O.C.G.A. § 44-3-141).   Unreasonable rule on vaults.    - Trial court did not manifestly abuse the court's discretion by entering a permanent injunction preventing a cemetery group from implementing a rule established by a private cemetery owner to prohibit the use of concrete vaults in the company's cemeteries because the rule violated the Georgia Cemetery and Funeral Services Act of 2000, O.C.G.A. § 10-14-1 et seq., and the rule was not reasonable within the context of O.C.G.A. § 10-14-16(b). Savannah Cemetery Group, Inc. v. DePue-Wilbert Vault Co., 307 Ga. App. 206, 704 S.E.2d 858 (2010).