Committee hears bill to require oversight of cemetery sales, transfers and government acquisition

House Bill 13 54 drew an hours-long panel of cemetery advocates, genealogists and preservationists before the Economic Matters Committee, which heard testimony about requiring Office of Cemetery Oversight approval before the sale, transfer or government acquisition of cemeteries.

Proponents told the committee the measure is aimed at protecting historic and family burial grounds from neglect, improper reuse and commercial exploitation. Michael DeWeaver, an intern for Delegate Gary Simmons, said the bill would require cemetery owners to obtain approval from the director of the Office of Cemetery Oversight before completing a sale or transfer.

The bill would also establish requirements for notice and procedural safeguards during any transfer or government acquisition, supporters said. Christine Simmons, a board member of the Anne Arundel Genealogical Society and the Coalition to Protect Maryland Burial Sites, told lawmakers she has researched Maryland cemeteries for 40 years and cited repeated problems when current ownership is unknown. She described cases in Anne Arundel County where neighbors parked on or fenced off family cemetery plots and where descendants have struggled for years to establish clear title and to…