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PRINTER'S NO. 1877
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1473
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY CHRISTIANA, COX, DRISCOLL, JAMES, MENTZER, MURT,
SACCONE, SOLOMON, QUIGLEY AND GILLEN, MAY 31, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MAY 31, 2017
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 11, 1935 (P.L.326, No.149), entitled
"An act relating to counties of the first class; defining
deceased service persons; providing for contributions by the
county to the funeral expenses for such persons and their
widows; providing for the erection and care of markers,
headstones, and flags, and for the compilation of war
records," further providing for flags to decorate graves.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 7 of the act of June 11, 1935 (P.L.326,
No.149), entitled "An act relating to counties of the first
class; defining deceased service persons; providing for
contributions by the county to the funeral expenses for such
persons and their widows; providing for the erection and care of
markers, headstones, and flags, and for the compilation of war
records," is amended to read:
Section 7. Flags to Decorate Graves.--It shall be the duty
of the county commissioners to provide flags on each Memorial
Day with which to decorate the graves of all deceased service
persons and the graves of all other deceased persons who served
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in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard,
Merchant Marine during World War II or any organization
officially connected therewith and whose separation from such
service was honorable, whether by discharge or otherwise, buried
within the county. The flags to be used for said purposes shall
be of one standard size and shall be purchased at the expense of
the county from moneys in the county treasury.
Such flags shall be furnished to the various veterans'
organizations in such numbers as they shall require for their
respective communities.
The moneys expended by any such county, under the provisions
of this section, shall be in addition to moneys appropriated by
counties for Memorial Day purposes.
The authorities in charge of any cemetery are authorized to
remove such flags, when the same become unsightly or weather-
worn, at any time not less than [ninety] thirty days after the
flags have been placed on graves[.] along with notification to
the respective county director of veterans' affairs for a
replacement flag.
A family member of a person whose grave is decorated with a
flag for the purpose of Memorial Day by the county is granted
permission to take and keep the flag after the first working day
after the Fourth of July. A cemetery shall contact the county no
less than thirty days after taking down the flags annually for
collection by the county.
In addition to the powers and duties granted to local code
enforcement officers, a local code enforcement officer may
inspect local cemeteries for violations of this section and
report any violation to a county director of veterans' affairs.
Counties may coordinate with local veterans service
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organizations to ensure that cemeteries are in compliance with
the provisions of this section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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