PRINTER'S NO. 4161

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 3034 Session of 1994


        INTRODUCED BY LEE, STABACK, SAYLOR, BUXTON, NAILOR,
           M. N. WRIGHT, RUDY, KREBS, WAUGH, NICKOL, YOUNGBLOOD, LAUB,
           TIGUE, SATHER, HENNESSEY, FARGO, GLADECK, BAKER, HESS,
           MILLER, LEH, B. SMITH, PRESTON, MERRY AND DEMPSEY,
           SEPTEMBER 27, 1994

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SEPTEMBER 27, 1994

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), entitled "An
     2     act concerning townships of the second class; and amending,
     3     revising, consolidating, and changing the law relating
     4     thereto," further providing for the care of certain
     5     cemeteries.

     6     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     7  hereby enacts as follows:
     8     Section 1.  Clause XXVIII of section 702 of the act of May 1,
     9  1933 (P.L.103, No.69), known as The Second Class Township Code,
    10  reenacted and amended July 10, 1947 (P.L.1481, No.567) and
    11  amended July 30, 1975 (P.L.137, No.69), is amended to read:
    12     Section 702.  Supervisors to Exercise Powers.--The corporate
    13  powers of townships of the second class shall be exercised by
    14  the township supervisors. Where no specific authority is given
    15  for the expenditures incident to the exercise of any power
    16  hereinafter conferred, or where no specific fund is designated
    17  from which such expenditures shall be made, appropriations for
    18  such expenditures shall be made only from the general township

     1  fund. In addition to the duties imposed upon them by section 516
     2  hereof, they shall have power--
     3     * * *
     4     XXVIII.  Abandoned Cemeteries.--Whenever any cemetery or
     5  burial ground incorporated or unincorporated, is abandoned, or
     6  is being neglected although occasionally used for burial
     7  purposes, either of the following actions may be taken:
     8     (1)  The township supervisors may give notice to the owner
     9  thereof, directing him to remove the weeds, refuse and debris
    10  therefrom within thirty days. If the weeds, refuse and debris
    11  are not removed within thirty days after such notice, the
    12  supervisors shall cause the same to be done by employes of the
    13  township or persons hired for the purpose at the expense of the
    14  township. In no case shall the township supervisors expend more
    15  than [five hundred] one thousand dollars in any one year on any
    16  one cemetery. All costs and expenses of such removal shall be a
    17  debt owed to the township by the owner of the cemetery or burial
    18  ground, and may be collected therefrom as like debts are
    19  collected, or (2) the court of common pleas of the county, upon
    20  petition of twenty-five residents of the township wherein such
    21  cemetery is located, may direct the supervisors to care for such
    22  cemetery at a cost of not more than [five hundred] one thousand
    23  dollars in any one year. The supervisors shall expend moneys
    24  from the general township fund for such purpose. Such cemetery
    25  shall remain open to the public under the regulation and control
    26  of the supervisors.
    27     * * *
    28     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.


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