Committee advances draft 3.1 to create $5 burial/cremation fee to support historic cemeteries

Attorney John Gray presented draft 3.1 and described two visible edits and one deletion to the bill before the Senate Committee on Government Operations. The committee then voted by roll call to advance the measure.

The chair of the committee said the visible edits include a page‑2 notice requirement to the lot owner and a change on page 3 to ensure an agency can be specifically authorized to pay for repair of vandalism. The chair also said the draft removes a prior Section 5 (transcribed as a ‘‘repeal of the burial of significant statute’’), making the current Section 5 the effective date of the bill. “There’s only gonna be two visible changes,” Attorney John Gray said while previewing the screen‑share.

The funding mechanism discussed would collect a $5 fee when there is a burial or cremation, with the amount sent to the Division for Historic Preservation; at year‑end that group would reportedly send pooled funds to an entity transcribed as “Voca” for distribution to qualifying cemeteries. The chair summarized the estimated revenue and need: “If you take 6,500, multiply it times 5, I think it come out with 32,000 and change,” the chair said, characterizing the amount as modest but useful for cemetery needs and repairs.

With no substantive questions, the chair asked to proceed to a vote. The clerk called the roll; the transcript records Senators Clarkson, Morland, Bogoski, White and Collins as voting yes. The draft was recorded as approved by the committee on that roll‑call.

After the vote, committee members exchanged brief remarks of appreciation for work on related bills. The committee adjourned for the day and the week.