House Judiciary committee considers H.41 to create felony for abuse of a corpse

The House Judiciary Committee reviewed H.41, a bill that would create a felony offense for the abuse of a corpse, including knowingly transporting, burying, burning, mutilating, disfiguring, dismembering or otherwise destroying a body without legal authorization, legislative counsel Ben Novogratzky told the committee. The proposal would add a new statute, 13 VSA §2312, and an aggravated offense when the conduct is intended to conceal a crime or avoid apprehension, prosecution or conviction.

The bill’s supporters say it fills a prosecutorial gap left by the existing Title 18 public‑health statute on unauthorized removal or burial of human remains. “This bill proposes to create a new felony statute for an individual who abuses a corpse,” Ben Novogratzky, legislative counsel, said, explaining that the measure moves the offense into Title 13 (criminal law) and distinguishes a knowingly committed offense from an intentionally or purposely committed, aggravated offense.

Why it matters: The committee heard detailed statutory language and penalty ranges and heard emotional testimony from a victim’s family member who said the existing law was inadequate for the facts of her case. Pam Martin Harris testified about her mother, Roberta…