SENATE AMENDED PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 3307, 4178, 4338 PRINTER'S NO. 4518
No. 2289 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY MANTZ, ARGALL, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, BRENNAN, CAPPELLI, CLYMER, CONKLIN, CREIGHTON, DALLY, DeLUCA, EVERETT, FLECK, FRANKEL, GABIG, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, N. P. GOODMAN, GRELL, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARRIS, HERSHEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KENNEY, KILLION, KOTIK, KULA, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, MARSHALL, MARSICO, McILHATTAN, MELIO, METCALFE, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, R. MILLER, MOUL, MOYER, MURT, NAILOR, O'NEILL, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, PEIFER, PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PYLE, RAPP, REICHLEY, ROEBUCK, ROHRER, RUBLEY, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, SONNEY, STERN, SWANGER, TRUE, TURZAI, VULAKOVICH, WALKO, J. WHITE, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, D. O'BRIEN, FAIRCHILD, PETRONE, CALTAGIRONE AND BROOKS, MARCH 5, 2008
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, OCTOBER 7, 2008
AN ACT 1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania 2 Consolidated Statutes, further providing for desecration, <-- 3 THEFT or sale of venerated objects. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby enacts as follows: 6 Section 1. Section 5509(a) of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania <-- 7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read: 8 § 5509. Desecration or sale of venerated objects. 9 (a) Offense defined.--[A] 10 (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a person 11 commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if he: 12 [(1)] (i) intentionally desecrates any public
1 monument or structure, or place of worship or burial; 2 [(2) if he] 3 (ii) intentionally desecrates any other object of 4 veneration by the public or a substantial segment thereof 5 in any public place; [or 6 (3)] (iii) sells [or], attempts to sell or removes, 7 with intent to sell, a veteran's marker as described in 8 section 1913 of the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, 9 No.130), known as The County Code. This [paragraph] 10 subparagraph shall not apply to the sale of veterans' 11 markers authorized by statute[.]; or 12 (iv) accepts or purchases the veteran's marker or 13 item decorating a veteran's grave, with the intent of 14 marketing or destroying the marker or item. A marker no 15 longer wanted by the veteran's family or a marker that 16 has been damaged or destroyed shall be turned over to the 17 county for proper disposal in order to stop people from 18 stealing and selling grave markers for financial gain. 19 (2) A second or subsequent offense under paragraph 20 (1)(iii) shall constitute a misdemeanor of the first degree. 21 * * * 22 SECTION 1. SECTION 5509 OF TITLE 18 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA <-- 23 CONSOLIDATED STATUTES IS AMENDED TO READ: 24 § 5509. DESECRATION, THEFT OR SALE OF VENERATED OBJECTS. 25 (A) OFFENSE DEFINED.--A PERSON COMMITS [A MISDEMEANOR OF THE <-- 26 SECOND DEGREE] AN OFFENSE IF HE: <-- 27 (1) INTENTIONALLY DESECRATES ANY PUBLIC MONUMENT OR 28 STRUCTURE, OR PLACE OF WORSHIP OR BURIAL; 29 (2) [IF HE] INTENTIONALLY DESECRATES ANY OTHER OBJECT OF 30 VENERATION BY THE PUBLIC OR A SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT THEREOF IN 20080H2289B4518 - 2 -
1 ANY PUBLIC PLACE; [OR] 2 (3) SELLS, [OR] ATTEMPTS TO SELL OR REMOVES WITH INTENT 3 TO SELL A VETERAN'S MARKER AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 1913 OF 4 THE ACT OF AUGUST 9, 1955 (P.L.323, NO.130), KNOWN AS THE 5 COUNTY CODE. THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL NOT APPLY TO THE SALE OF 6 VETERANS' MARKERS AUTHORIZED BY STATUTE[.]; OR 7 (4) INTENTIONALLY RECEIVES, RETAINS OR DISPOSES OF A 8 VETERAN'S MARKER OR ITEM DECORATING A VETERAN'S GRAVE KNOWING 9 THAT THE ITEM HAS BEEN STOLEN, OR BELIEVING THAT IT HAS 10 PROBABLY BEEN STOLEN, UNLESS IT HAS BEEN RECEIVED, RETAINED 11 OR DISPOSED OF WITH THE INTENT TO RETURN IT TO THE OWNER. 12 (A.1) HISTORIC BURIAL LOTS AND BURIAL PLACES.--A PERSON 13 COMMITS [A MISDEMEANOR OF THE FIRST DEGREE] AN OFFENSE IF THE <-- 14 PERSON INTENTIONALLY DESECRATES A HISTORIC BURIAL LOT OR 15 HISTORIC BURIAL PLACE. 16 (B) DEFINITIONS.--AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING 17 WORDS AND PHRASES SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS 18 SUBSECTION: 19 "DESECRATE." DEFACING, DAMAGING, POLLUTING OR OTHERWISE 20 PHYSICALLY MISTREATING IN A WAY THAT THE ACTOR KNOWS WILL 21 OUTRAGE THE SENSIBILITIES OF PERSONS LIKELY TO OBSERVE OR 22 DISCOVER THE ACTION. 23 "HISTORIC BURIAL LOT." AN INDIVIDUAL BURIAL SITE WITHIN A 24 HISTORIC BURIAL PLACE. 25 "HISTORIC BURIAL PLACE." A TRACT OF LAND WHICH HAS BEEN: 26 (1) IN EXISTENCE AS A BURIAL GROUND FOR MORE THAN 100 27 YEARS; OR 28 (2) LISTED IN OR ELIGIBLE FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF 29 HISTORIC PLACES AS DETERMINED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL 30 AND MUSEUM COMMISSION. 20080H2289B4518 - 3 -
1 (C) GRADING.-- <-- 2 (1) AN OFFENSE UNDER SUBSECTION (A) SHALL BE GRADED AS 3 FOLLOWS: 4 (I) A FELONY OF THE THIRD DEGREE IF THE AMOUNT OF 5 LOSS OR DAMAGE IS IN EXCESS OF $2,000, OR A SECOND OR 6 SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(3) OR (4). 7 (II) A MISDEMEANOR OF THE FIRST DEGREE IF THE AMOUNT 8 OF LOSS OR DAMAGE IS $200 OR MORE BUT LESS THAN OR EQUAL 9 TO $2,000. 10 (III) A MISDEMEANOR OF THE SECOND DEGREE IF THE 11 AMOUNT OF LOSS OR DAMAGE IS $50 OR MORE BUT LESS THAN 12 $200. 13 (IV) A MISDEMEANOR OF THE THIRD DEGREE FOR ALL OTHER 14 OFFENSES. 15 (2) AN OFFENSE UNDER SUBSECTION (A.1) SHALL BE GRADED AS 16 FOLLOWS: 17 (I) A FELONY OF THE THIRD DEGREE IF THE AMOUNT OF 18 DAMAGE IS IN EXCESS OF $2,000 OR A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT 19 OFFENSE. 20 (II) A MISDEMEANOR OF THE FIRST DEGREE FOR ALL OTHER 21 OFFENSES. 22 Section 2. The amendment of 18 Pa.C.S. § 5509(a) 5509 shall <-- 23 apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of 24 this section. 25 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days. B20L18MSP/20080H2289B4518 - 4 -