VirginiaCemeteries; maintenance of abandoned or neglected graveyards, owner unknown.
What it does
Cemeteries; maintenance of abandoned or neglected graveyards; owner unknown. Permits the owner of adjacent land or an incorporated nonprofit entity to petition the circuit court for an exclusive license to maintain a graveyard that has been abandoned, is unused and neglected by the owner, and the owner of such graveyard is unknown, or cannot with reasonable diligence be found. The bill requires the petitioner to (i) demonstrate a good faith effort to identify and contact an owner of record of the graveyard and (ii) publish in a newspaper having general circulation in the locality in which the graveyard is located, once a week for two consecutive weeks, notice that a petition for a maintenance license has been filed.
More detail
The bill allows a court to grant a petitioner an exclusive license for the maintenance of an abandoned graveyard not to exceed five years. Such petitioner may, by petition of the court, renew such license indefinitely. After the court grants a petitioner a license to maintain the property, the owner of such graveyard may petition the circuit court of the county or city in which the graveyard is located to terminate the license.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 6Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0278)Latest
- Apr 6Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 278 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Mar 25Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 25Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026Minor
- Mar 16Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1237)
- Mar 14Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 14Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 14Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1237ER)Major
- Mar 14EnrolledMinor
- Mar 9Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Major
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Read third timeMinor
- Mar 6Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 6Rules suspended
- Mar 4Reported from General Laws and Technology (15-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from General Laws and Technology. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 5Referred to Committee on General Laws and TechnologyMinor
- Feb 5Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 4Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 1-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 4Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House
- Feb 4Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)Passed House
- Feb 3Read second time and engrossedMinor
- Feb 3Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1237)
- Feb 2Read first timeMinor
- Jan 29Reported from General Laws (21-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from General Laws. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 27Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 26Assigned HGL sub: ABC/GamingMinor
- Jan 14Referred to Committee on General LawsMinor
- Jan 14Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102487DIntroduced