Senate Bill S6334

2011-2012 Legislative Session

Enacts the "unmarked burial site protection act", to regulate the discovery of burial grounds, human remains and funerary objects

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Corporations, Authorities And Commissions Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

2011-S6334 - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Law Section:
Not-for-Profit Corporation Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §1503, add §1518, N-PC L; amd §235, Ed L; amd §14.09, Pks & Rec L
Versions Introduced in 2009-2010 Legislative Session:
S1620

2011-S6334 - Summary

Enacts the "unmarked burial site protection act"; requires the cessation of all ground disturbing activities upon the discovery of a burial ground, human remains or funerary objects, and requires the reporting of such discovery to the local coroner; provides that if such remains are more than 50 years old, the state archaeologist shall be notified; requires state archaeologist to determine whether the remains are of Native American origin

2011-S6334 - Sponsor Memo

2011-S6334 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6334

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 27, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations,  Authorities
  and Commissions

AN  ACT  to  amend  the not-for-profit corporation law and the education
  law, in relation to the discovery and disposition of human remains and
  funerary objects; and to amend  the  parks,  recreation  and  historic
  preservation  law, in relation to requiring certain notice and consul-
  tation prior to the undertaking of certain projects

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the "unmarked burial site protection act".
  S 2. Legislative findings and declaration. The legislature  finds  and
declares  that  the  sanctity  of human burial sites is an intrinsic and
paramount value among all cultural and religious traditions which  prac-
tice  the custom of burying the dead. The legislature further finds that
there are numerous unmarked burial sites throughout the state,  many  of
which are of great cultural and historical significance to the people of
the  state, particularly to members of the cultural and religious groups
affiliated  with  them.  Such  sites  are  vulnerable  to  unintentional
disturbance  in  the course of construction and other activities as well
as deliberate vandalism and  looting.  Such  disturbance  constitutes  a
severe  offense  against the descendants of the dead and the beliefs and
traditions of the culturally-affiliated groups.
  The legislature finds and declares that existing laws  are  inadequate
to  protect  these  unmarked burial sites from disturbance, and that New
York is one of the very few states  which  heretofore  has  provided  no
express  statutory protection for unmarked burial sites. It is therefore
declared to be the purpose of this act to ensure that human remains  and
associated  funerary  artifacts remain undisturbed to the maximum extent
practicable, and are treated with the utmost respect consistent with the
wishes of lineal descendants and culturally-affiliated groups.
  S 3. Section 1503 of the not-for-profit corporation law is amended  by
adding a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

2011-S6334A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Law Section:
Not-for-Profit Corporation Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §1503, add §1518, N-PC L; amd §235, Ed L; amd §14.09, Pks & Rec L
Versions Introduced in 2009-2010 Legislative Session:
S1620

2011-S6334A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the "unmarked burial site protection act"; requires the cessation of all ground disturbing activities upon the discovery of a burial ground, human remains or funerary objects, and requires the reporting of such discovery to the local coroner; provides that if such remains are more than 50 years old, the state archaeologist shall be notified; requires state archaeologist to determine whether the remains are of Native American origin

2011-S6334A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2011-S6334A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 6334--A

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 27, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations,  Authorities
  and   Commissions  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
  reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the not-for-profit corporation  law  and  the  education
  law, in relation to the discovery and disposition of human remains and
  funerary  objects;  and  to  amend  the parks, recreation and historic
  preservation law, in relation to requiring certain notice and  consul-
  tation prior to the undertaking of certain projects

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
the "unmarked burial site protection act".
  S  2.  Legislative findings and declaration. The legislature finds and
declares that the sanctity of human burial sites  is  an  intrinsic  and
paramount  value among all cultural and religious traditions which prac-
tice the custom of burying the dead. The legislature further finds  that
there  are  numerous unmarked burial sites throughout the state, many of
which are of great cultural and historical significance to the people of
the state, particularly to members of the cultural and religious  groups
affiliated  with  them.  Such  sites  are  vulnerable  to  unintentional
disturbance in the course of construction and other activities  as  well
as  deliberate  vandalism  and  looting.  Such disturbance constitutes a
severe offense against the descendants of the dead and the  beliefs  and
traditions of the culturally-affiliated groups.
  The  legislature  finds and declares that existing laws are inadequate
to protect these unmarked burial sites from disturbance,  and  that  New
York  is  one  of  the  very few states which heretofore has provided no
express statutory protection for unmarked burial sites. It is  therefore
declared  to be the purpose of this act to ensure that human remains and
associated funerary artifacts remain undisturbed to the  maximum  extent
practicable, and are treated with the utmost respect consistent with the
wishes of lineal descendants and culturally-affiliated groups.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07973-03-2
              

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