Rep. Charles E. Meier

Filed: 3/25/2014

 

 


 

 


 
09800HB5625ham002LRB098 18671 HEP 57318 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5625

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5625 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Access to Cemeteries on Private Property Act.
 
6    Section 5. Access to cemeteries located on private
7property.
8    (a) Owners of private property on which a cemetery or
9graves are located have a duty to allow ingress and egress to
10the cemetery or graves by the following individuals who have
11given reasonable notice, as provided in subsection (b), to the
12owner of record or to the occupant of the property or both:
13        (1) family members and descendants of deceased persons
14    buried there; or
15        (2) any cemetery plot owner.
16    (b) In order to exercise the ingress and egress provided in

 

 

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1subsection (a), a person must give written notice to the owner
2of record, an agent of the owner of record, or an occupant of
3the private property acting on behalf of and with permission of
4the owner of record that:
5        (1) he or she or the person for whom he or she requests
6    ingress and egress meets the statutory requirements
7    provided in subsection (a); and
8        (2) he or she requests a written proposal designating
9    reasonable conditions for the exercise of ingress and
10    egress as provided in subsection (c).
11    (c) No later than 30 days after receipt of the written
12notice to exercise the ingress and egress, the owner of record,
13an agent of the owner of record, or an occupant of the private
14property acting on behalf and with permission of the owner of
15record must respond with a written proposal designating
16reasonable conditions for ingress and egress, including, but
17not limited to, routes to be used for access, duration of
18access, and time restrictions for access.
19    (d) The exercise of ingress and egress on the property by
20persons authorized in subsection (a) must be exercised as
21reasonably restricted in time and manner by the owner of
22record, an agent of the owner of record, or an occupant of the
23private property acting on behalf and with permission of the
24owner of record. The exercise of ingress and egress must not
25substantially and unreasonably interfere with the use,
26enjoyment, or economic value of the property by the owner or an

 

 

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1occupant of the private property.
2    (e) A landowner may not erect a wall, fence, or other
3structure or device that prevents ingress and egress to the
4cemetery or graves unless the wall, fence, or other structure
5or device has a gate or other means by which ingress and egress
6can be accomplished by persons specified in this Section. The
7landowner may designate the frequency of the access, the hours
8and duration of the access, and the access route if no
9traditional access route is obviously visible by a view of the
10property.
11    (f) The landowner, in the absence of gross negligence or
12willful misconduct, is immune from liability in any civil suit,
13claim, action, or cause of action arising out of the access
14granted pursuant to this Section.
15    (g) The right of ingress and egress granted to persons
16specified in subsection (a) of this Section shall be reasonable
17and limited to the purposes of visiting graves and maintaining
18the gravesite or cemetery. The right of ingress and egress may
19not be construed to provide a right to operate motor vehicles
20on the property for the purpose of accessing a cemetery or
21gravesite unless there is a road or adequate right-of-way that
22permits access by a motor vehicle and the owner has given
23written permission to use the road or right-of-way of
24necessity.
25    (h) Any person entering onto private property to access a
26gravesite or cemetery is responsible for conducting himself or

 

 

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1herself in a manner that does not damage the private lands, the
2cemetery, or the gravesites and is liable to the owner of the
3property for any damage caused as a result of his or her
4access.
 
5    Section 10. Applicability. This Act does not apply to any
6deed or other written instrument that creates or reserves a
7cemetery or gravesite on private property.".