2023 Utah Code › Title 9 - Cultural and Community Engagement › Chapter 8 - History Development › Part 2 - Utah Historical Society › Section 203 - Society duties.

Effective 7/1/2023
9-8-203.
Society duties.
(1) The society shall:
(a) stimulate research, study, and activity in the field of Utah history and related history;
(b) maintain a specialized history library;
(c) collect, preserve, and administer historical records relating to the history of Utah;
(d) administer, collect, preserve, document, interpret, develop, and exhibit historical artifacts, documentary materials, and other objects relating to the history of Utah for educational and cultural purposes;
(e) edit and publish historical records;
(f) cooperate with local, state, and federal agencies and schools and museums to provide coordinated and organized activities for the collection, documentation, preservation, interpretation, and exhibition of historical artifacts related to the state;
(g) promote, coordinate, and administer:
(i) Utah History Day at the Capitol designated under Section 63G-1-401; and
(ii) the Utah History Day program affiliated with National History Day, which includes a series of regional, state, and national activities and competitions for students from grades 4 through 12;
(h) subject to legislative appropriations, provide grants and technical assistance as necessary and appropriate;
(i) administer educational programs in partnership with public and private entities in the state; and
(j) comply with the procedures and requirements of Title 63G, Chapter 4, Administrative Procedures Act, in adjudicative proceedings.
(2)
(a) The society may acquire or produce reproductions of historical artifacts and documentary materials for educational and cultural use.
(b) The society may only deaccession an item described in Subsection (2)(a) in accordance with rules made by the division in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
(c) An item that is to be deaccessioned in accordance with society rule is not state surplus property as that term is defined in Section 63A-2-101.5, and the society is not subject to the surplus property program described in Section 63A-2-401 for that item.
(3) To promote an appreciation of Utah history and to increase heritage tourism in the state, the society shall:
(a)
(i) create and maintain an inventory of all historic markers and monuments that are accessible to the public throughout the state;
(ii) enter into cooperative agreements with other groups and organizations to collect and maintain the information needed for the inventory;
(iii) encourage the use of volunteers to help collect the information and to maintain the inventory;
(iv) publicize the information in the inventory in a variety of forms and media, especially to encourage Utah citizens and tourists to visit the markers and monuments;
(v) work with public and private landowners, heritage organizations, and volunteer groups to help maintain, repair, and landscape around the markers and monuments; and
(vi) make the inventory available upon request to all other public and private history and heritage organizations, tourism organizations and businesses, and others;
(b)
(i) create and maintain an inventory of all active and inactive cemeteries throughout the state;
(ii) enter into cooperative agreements with local governments and other groups and organizations to collect and maintain the information needed for the inventory;
(iii) encourage the use of volunteers to help collect the information and to maintain the inventory;
(iv) encourage cemetery owners to create and maintain geographic information systems to record burial sites and encourage volunteers to do so for inactive and small historic cemeteries;
(v) publicize the information in the inventory in a variety of forms and media, especially to encourage Utah citizens to participate in the care and upkeep of historic cemeteries;
(vi) work with public and private cemeteries, heritage organizations, genealogical groups, and volunteer groups to help maintain, repair, and landscape cemeteries, grave sites, and tombstones; and
(vii) make the inventory available upon request to all other public and private history and heritage organizations, tourism organizations and businesses, and others; and
(c)
(i) create and maintain a computerized record of cemeteries and burial locations in a state-coordinated and publicly accessible information system;
(ii) gather information for the information system created and maintained under Subsection (3)(c)(i) and help maintain, repair, and landscape cemeteries, grave sites, and tombstones as described in Subsection (3)(b)(vi) by providing matching grants, upon approval by the board, to:
(A) municipal cemeteries;
(B) cemetery maintenance districts;
(C) endowment care cemeteries;
(D) private nonprofit cemeteries;
(E) genealogical associations; and
(F) other nonprofit groups with an interest in cemeteries; and
(iii) adopt rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, for granting matching funds under Subsection (3)(c)(ii) to ensure that:
(A) professional standards are met; and
(B) projects are cost effective.
(4) This chapter may not be construed to authorize the society to acquire by purchase any historical artifacts, documentary materials, or specimens that are restricted from sale by federal law or the laws of any state, territory, or foreign nation.
Amended by Chapter 160, 2023 General Session