Florida Senate - 2025                                    SB 1558
       
       
        
       By Senator Davis
       
       
       
       
       
       5-01865-25                                            20251558__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to access to historic cemeteries;
    3         amending s. 267.21, F.S.; requiring the state to have
    4         an easement on certain land owned by a private owner
    5         for ingress and egress to maintain the cemetery and
    6         conduct research and noninvasive searches relating to
    7         the Historic Cemeteries Program; providing that such
    8         ingress and egress be at reasonable times, in a
    9         reasonable manner, and after the owner is provided
   10         with reasonable notice; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Present subsection (3) of section 267.21,
   15  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (4), and a new
   16  subsection (3) is added to that section, to read:
   17         267.21 Historic Cemeteries Program.—
   18         (3) If credible evidence supports a determination that
   19  there is an abandoned cemetery located on, underneath, or
   20  adjacent to land owned by a private owner, the state must have
   21  an easement for ingress and egress for the purpose of
   22  maintaining the cemetery and conducting research and noninvasive
   23  searches at the cemetery. Such ingress and egress must be at
   24  reasonable times and in a reasonable manner after providing such
   25  owner with reasonable notice.
   26         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.