Senate Bill S630A

2023-2024 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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Sponsored By

Current 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

co-Sponsors

2023-S630 - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Law Section:
Not-for-Profit Corporation Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §1503, N-PC L; amd §235, Ed L; add Art 7 §171, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S4422
2021-2022: S5701

2023-S630 - 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; 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

2023-S630 - Sponsor Memo

2023-S630 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    630
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 5, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. COMRIE, KENNEDY -- 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".
   § 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

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02745-01-3
 S. 630                              2
              

co-Sponsors

2023-S630A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Law Section:
Not-for-Profit Corporation Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §1503, N-PC L; amd §235, Ed L; add Art 7 §171, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S4422
2021-2022: S5701

2023-S630A (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; 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

2023-S630A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S630A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  630--A
     Cal. No. 447
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 5, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. COMRIE, KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to  the  Committee  on  Corporations,
   Authorities and Commissions -- reported favorably from said committee,
   ordered  to  first  and  second  report,  ordered  to a third reading,
   amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place  in  the  order  of
   third reading
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the not-for-profit corporation law, the executive law,
   and the education law, in relation to the discovery and disposition of
   human remains and funerary objects
 
   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".
   § 2. Section 1503 of the not-for-profit corporation law is amended  by
 adding a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:
   (C)  EXCEPT  AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (C) OF SECTION FIFTEEN
 HUNDRED SEVEN AND PARAGRAPH (M) OF SECTION FIFTEEN HUNDRED TEN  OF  THIS
 ARTICLE,  THIS  ARTICLE  DOES  NOT  APPLY TO A BURIAL SITE AS DEFINED IN
 PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED  SEVENTY-ONE  OF
 THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
   § 3. Article 7 of the executive law is amended by adding a new section
 171 to read as follows:
   § 171. DISCOVERY   AND  DISPOSITION  OF  HUMAN  REMAINS  AND  FUNERARY
 OBJECTS. 1. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SECTION:
   (A) "BURIAL SITE" MEANS ANY LOCATION IN WHICH HUMAN REMAINS ARE INTER-
 RED, WHICH IS NOT A CEMETERY SUBJECT TO PROVISIONS OF THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT
 CORPORATION LAW, THE RELIGIOUS CORPORATIONS LAW, THE  GENERAL  MUNICIPAL
 LAW, THE COUNTY LAW, THE TOWN LAW OR THE VILLAGE LAW.
   (B) "COMMITTEE" MEANS THE NATIVE AMERICAN BURIAL SITE REVIEW COMMITTEE
 CREATED BY SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02745-04-3
              

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