MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Welfare

By: Representative Stevens

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE OWNERS OR GOVERNING AUTHORITIES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CEMETERIES TO KEEP RECORDS OF ALL PERSONS INTERRED IN SUCH CEMETERIES AND PROVIDE SUCH INFORMATION TO THE OFFICE OF VITAL RECORDS REGISTRATION; TO REQUIRE THE OFFICE OF VITAL RECORDS REGISTRATION TO COMPILE, ORGANIZE AND INDEX SUCH INFORMATION AND MAKE SUCH INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC EXAMINATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The owner or governing authorities of every public or private cemetery in this state shall record and preserve a record of all persons interred in such cemeteries from and after January 1, 2001, and shall report such information, not less frequently than quarterly, to the Office of Vital Records Registration of the State Department of Health on a form prepared by the Office or Vital Records and Registration. Such records and reports shall provide the full name, date of birth, date of death and date of interment of the deceased and such other information as the Office of Vital Records and Registration, by rule or regulation, may require to properly identify deceased persons and the place where the remains of such persons are interred.

(2) The Office of Vital Records Registration shall compile, organize and index such records and information and shall permit such information and records to be accessed, examined and copied by the public in accordance with the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.