SB 282

Substitute Senate Bill No. 282
  Public Act No. 26-111
AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE NEGLECTED
CEMETERY ACCOUNT, CONCERNING CARE AND MAINTENANCE
OF WARTIME VETERANS' GRAVES AND ESTABLISHING A
PROCESS FOR THE NOTIFICATION OF MUNICIPALITIES
REGARDING SUCH GRAVES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
  Section 1. Section 27-123 of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026):
   [In each city and town there shall be appointed annually, by the] (a)
The chief executive authority of [the] each city or town [,] shall annually
appoint a committee of three citizens of the city or town, who are
veterans and whose duty it shall be to see that the grave of any person
who served in time of war in the military or naval forces of the English
colonies in America, prior to 1776, or of the state of Connecticut or in the
armed forces of the United States, [shall be suitably kept and] is suitably
cared for and maintained.
  (b) If the cost of [such care and maintenance] suitably caring for and
maintaining any grave described in subsection (a) of this section is not
paid by private persons or by the trustees of the cemetery where any
such grave is situated, [it] such cost shall be paid by the city or town;
and cities and towns are authorized to appropriate money, and to apply
  Substitute Senate Bill No. 282
for money available under section 19a-308b, for such purpose. Money
so appropriated, or received under section 19a-308b, may be expended
directly by the city or town or may be paid to the trustees or manager of
the cemetery in which any such grave is [located] situated; but the sum
paid in any year shall not exceed for any such grave the sum usually
charged for the annual care and maintenance of a grave in the same
cemetery or, if no such charge is made in that cemetery, it shall not
exceed the sum charged in other cemeteries in the same city or town for
such service, provided, when any such grave has settled appreciably,
such sum may be exceeded.
   Sec. 2. Section 19a-308 of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026):
   (a) In any town in which there is a burial ground or cemetery
containing more than six places of interment that has been neglected
and allowed to grow up to weeds, briars and bushes, or about which the
fences have become broken, decayed or dilapidated, the selectmen of
such town may cause such burial ground or cemetery to be cleared of
weeds, briars and bushes, may mow the ground's lawn areas, [and] may
cause its fences or walls to be repaired and kept in orderly and decent
condition and its memorial stones to be straightened, repaired and
restored and may otherwise suitably care for and maintain any grave
described in subsection (a) of section 27-123, as amended by this act.
   (b) No municipality or employee, officer or agent of a municipality
shall be civilly or criminally liable for undertaking the care and
maintenance of a burial ground or cemetery, as described in subsection
(a) of this section.
   Sec. 3. (Effective July 1, 2026) The sum of one hundred thousand
dollars shall be transferred from the resources of the General Fund to
the neglected cemetery account established pursuant to section 19a-308b
of the general statutes and credited to such account for the fiscal year
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  Substitute Senate Bill No. 282
ending June 30, 2027. Such funds may be used to make grants to eligible
municipalities for municipal maintenance of neglected burial grounds
and cemeteries, as described in section 19a-308 of the general statutes,
as amended by this act.
   Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) The Commissioner of Veterans
Affairs shall make available on the Internet web site of the Department
of Veterans Affairs a form through which any individual may submit
information to the department concerning any grave described in
subsection (a) of section 27-123 of the general statutes, as amended by
this act, that has not been suitably cared for and maintained as required
under said section. Such form shall require that the individual include
with such submission (1) the name of the burial ground or cemetery
within which such grave is situated, (2) the city or town containing such
burial ground or cemetery, (3) the name of the person interred in such
grave, and (4) any other information the commissioner deems necessary
to implement the provisions of this section.
   (b) Not later than seven days after receipt of any submission
described in subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner shall notify
the chief executive authority of the city or town containing the burial
ground or cemetery within which the grave is situated to (1) advise of
such grave and provide the information included in such submission,
(2) advise of the requirements of section 27-123 of the general statutes,
as amended by this act, (3) direct that the committee appointed pursuant
to subsection (a) of said section (A) be apprised of such grave and
information, and (B) with respect to such grave and information, take
any actions necessary for such city or town to comply with such
requirements, and (4) advise of any moneys available, including, but not
limited to, moneys available under section 19a-308b of the general
statutes, that may be used to assist with such compliance.
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  Substitute Senate Bill No. 282
Governor's Action:
Approved June 4, 2026
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