HB 1237 VA

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Became Law

Cemeteries; maintenance of abandoned or neglected graveyards; owner unknown. Permits the owner of adjacent land or an incorporated nonprofit entity to petition the circuit court for an exclusive license to maintain a graveyard that has been abandoned, is unused and neglected by the owner, and the owner of such graveyard is unknown, or cannot with reasonable diligence be found. The bill requires the petitioner to (i) demonstrate a good faith effort to identify and contact an owner of record of the graveyard and (ii) publish in a newspaper having general circulation in the locality in which the graveyard is located, once a week for two consecutive weeks, notice that a petition for a maintenance license has been filed. The bill allows a court to grant a petitioner an exclusive license for the maintenance of an abandoned graveyard not to exceed five years. Such petitioner may, by petition of the court, renew such license indefinitely. After the court grants a petitioner a license to maintain the property, the owner of such graveyard may petition the circuit court of the county or city in which the graveyard is located to terminate the license.

• Briana D. Sewell Democratic · primary

1. Jan 14, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102487D · lower
2. Jan 14, 2026 Referred to Committee on General Laws · lower
3. Jan 26, 2026 Assigned HGL sub: ABC/Gaming · lower
4. Jan 27, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N) · lower
5. Jan 29, 2026 Reported from General Laws (21-Y 0-N) · lower
6. Feb 2, 2026 Read first time · lower
7. Feb 3, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1237) · lower
8. Feb 3, 2026 Read second time and engrossed · lower
9. Feb 4, 2026 Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
10. Feb 4, 2026 Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House · lower
11. Feb 4, 2026 Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 1-N 0-A) · lower
12. Feb 5, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
13. Feb 5, 2026 Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology · upper
14. Mar 4, 2026 Reported from General Laws and Technology (15-Y 0-N) · upper
15. Mar 6, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
16. Mar 6, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
17. Mar 6, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
18. Mar 9, 2026 Read third time · upper
19. Mar 9, 2026 Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
20. Mar 14, 2026 Enrolled · lower
21. Mar 14, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1237ER) · lower
22. Mar 14, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
23. Mar 14, 2026 Signed by President · upper
24. Mar 16, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1237) · lower
25. Mar 25, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026 · lower
26. Mar 25, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
27. Apr 6, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 278 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
28. Apr 6, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0278) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML