PRINTER'S NO. 2650
No. 2023 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY PETRARCA, MRKONIC, DAVIES, OLASZ, GEIST, JACKSON,
STUBAN, DALEY AND KASUNIC, OCTOBER 18, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS,
OCTOBER 18, 1989
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, providing for veterans' cemeteries.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Section 1904 of Title 51 of the Pennsylvania
6 Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
7 § 1904. Duties of commission.
8 In addition to other powers conferred by this chapter, the
9 commission shall have the power:
10 * * *
11 (1.1) To establish one or more cemeteries for the burial
12 of veterans and their immediate families.
13 * * *
14 Section 2. Title 51 is amended by adding a section to read:
15 § 1904.1. Veterans' cemeteries.
16 (a) Acquisition of land.--
17 (1) The commission may accept land, on behalf of the
1 State or a political subdivision of the State, or otherwise
2 acquire land for a State veterans' cemetery.
3 (2) In selecting a location for a veterans' cemetery,
4 the commission shall give priority to land that is near a
5 national memorial battle site.
6 (b) Maintenance and supervision.--The commission shall
7 maintain and supervise each veterans' cemetery.
8 (c) Allocation of plots.--
9 (1) Subject to the limitations in paragraph (2), the
10 commission shall provide a plot in a veterans' cemetery,
11 without charge, to an applicant who meets the requirements of
12 this section.
13 (2) In the order in which the commission receives the
14 applications for plots, the commission shall allot a plot in
15 the veterans' cemetery that is closest to the residence of
16 the veteran and has an available plot.
17 (d) Qualifications of applicants.--To qualify for a plot in
18 a veterans' cemetery, the applicant must be a veteran or a
19 member of the immediate family of a veteran who meets the
20 following requirements:
21 (1) The veteran must have an honorable discharge from
22 the armed forces.
23 (2) The veteran must have been a resident of this
24 Commonwealth:
25 (i) when the veteran entered the armed forces;
26 (ii) when the veteran died; or
27 (iii) for 20 years, unless, for a reason that the
28 commission finds compelling, the commission waives the
29 time period.
30 (e) Application.--To obtain a plot in a veterans' cemetery,
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1 an applicant shall submit to the commission an application on
2 the form that the commission provides.
3 (f) Burial.--In a plot that is allotted to a veteran, the
4 commission shall bury:
5 (1) The veteran.
6 (2) Any member of the immediate family of the veteran if
7 the family member can be buried in a space above or below the
8 veteran.
9 (g) Fees.--
10 (1) The commission shall bury the veteran without
11 charge.
12 (2) For burial of a member of the immediate family, the
13 commission may:
14 (i) set a fee that does not exceed the cost of
15 burial; or
16 (ii) accept, from the Social Security burial
17 allowance, an amount which does not exceed the cost of
18 the burial.
19 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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