Bob Cortes files bill to require cemeteries to notify next-of-kin before moving graves

Cemetery

A new bill filed by House District 30 Rep. Bob Cortes, HB 107, would make it more difficult for cemeteries to move graves without telling the deceased’s loved ones.

Cortes said the bill’s purpose is to keep families in the know about any occasion where a cemetery might move the grave of a loved one in a cemetery. It stems from a case brought to him by a local constituent.

“This is a true constituents’ issue bill,” he told FloridaPolitics.com. “A constituent came to me about this issue. Her mother and her aunt were buried in one of the local historical African American cemeteries, and they went there once a month to put flowers there. Well, one time, they came to find that the graves were moved.”

Cortes said the bill would require that cemeteries notify next-of-kin before moving graves. It would apply to mostly non-regulated and public ones that don’t have it as a requirement already. In addition, if a grave has been entombed there for 75 years or more, notice would have to be provided in the local newspaper.

Those who do not comply with the new rule, if passed, would face a second-degree felony charge, which is currently the state norm for those who willfully and knowingly disturb the contents of a grave.

But Cortes said he didn’t want his bill to place more regulations on cemeteries that would pile on taxes or require more insurance that could, in the end, just harm them. He just wanted to make sure next-of-kin knew when their loved ones’ graves were being moved.

“Any regulation would drive up the cost,” he said. “We’re not going to do that. We’re just asking if you’re going to move a grave, tell us and you wont be in violation of the law.”

The bill’s specific subject matter has also prompted some to take it in a more humorous manner, Cortes admitted as an aside.

“Someone just asked ‘is this the ‘Walking Dead’ bill?’” Cortes said. “I said, come on, guys, be serious.”

Larry Griffin


One comment

  • Lora

    December 19, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    This is a true bill. I am the constituent that went to him asking for help. This happened to me and my family on Christmas day in 2014.when we went to visit my family’s graves. It was actually my Grandmother, Aunt and Cousin graves that were moved. We were devastated. We have been fighting this battle for a few years. We need this Bill to past. No other family should experience this type of pain.

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories