2000 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1495 – Approp, cemetery records preservatn

SENATE BILL NO. 1495

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S1495......................................by LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TAXATION
APPROPRIATIONS - Appropriating $500,000 to the Idaho State Historical
Society for fiscal years 2001, 2002 and 2003, for the state cemetery
records preservation program; to provide legislative intent regarding the
program, contracts and grants; to provide that unexpended moneys need not
be encumbered and are reappropriated at the end of certain fiscal years.
                                                                        
02/21    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/22    Rpt prt - to Fin

Bill Text

 S1495
                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-fifth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2000
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1495
                                                                        
                         BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TAXATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO CEMETERY RECORDS PRESERVATION; APPROPRIATING MONEYS TO  THE  IDAHO
  3        STATE  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  FOR  FISCAL  YEARS 2001, 2002 AND 2003 FOR THE
  4        STATE CEMETERY RECORDS PRESERVATION PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE LEGISLATIVE INTENT
  5        REGARDING THE PROGRAM AND CONTRACTS AND GRANTS; TO PROVIDE THAT UNEXPENDED
  6        MONEYS NEED NOT BE ENCUMBERED AND ARE REAPPROPRIATED AT THE END OF CERTAIN
  7        FISCAL YEARS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
                                                                        
  8    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  9        SECTION 1.  There is hereby appropriated to the State Board  of  Education
 10    for  the Idaho State Historical Society the sum of $500,000 to be deposited in
 11    the Historical Society Account created in Section 67-4129A,  Idaho  Code,  for
 12    the  period  July  1,  2000, through June 30, 2003, to be expended pursuant to
 13    this act. Moneys in this act shall be used  for  the  State  Cemetery  Records
 14    Preservation  Program  within  the  State Historical Society. Many cemeteries,
 15    especially the older, smaller cemeteries, keep  records  on  cards  or  ledger
 16    books.  This  paper  form  of  recordkeeping is susceptible to loss from fire,
 17    flood and vandalism. These records contain the history of our forefathers, our
 18    communities and our society. Because they exist in a vulnerable  state,  there
 19    is a tremendous need to preserve these valuable records.
 20        The Idaho State Cemetery Records Preservation Program shall consist of two
 21    phases:  Phase One - the Cemetery Survey Program, and Phase Two - the Cemetery
 22    Grant Program. The purpose of Phase One is to inventory cemeteries  throughout
 23    the  state of Idaho, old and new, small and large, active and inactive, public
 24    and private for planning and  historical  site  identification  purposes.  The
 25    State  Historical  Society should enter into a contract to conduct this inven-
 26    tory and accumulate and display the results in a computer geographic  informa-
 27    tion  system  (GIS). With the data in a GIS, a map can be printed of the state
 28    of Idaho showing the approximate location of  each  cemetery  inventoried  and
 29    will  allow important information on each cemetery to be recorded. Information
 30    such as burial data, the size of the cemetery, historical significance of  the
 31    cemetery itself or of interred individuals. Once completed this information is
 32    intended  to  be turned over to state agencies and the public for planning and
 33    research purposes.
 34        Phase Two of the Idaho State Cemetery Records Preservation  Program  shall
 35    consist of the establishment of a grant program, by the state, to assist indi-
 36    vidual cemeteries to preserve their maps and records. It is intended that cit-
 37    ies,  counties,  cemetery  districts,  private  cemeteries  and others with an
 38    interest in cemeteries may apply for grant moneys. It is intended  that  grant
 39    moneys be utilized by individual cemeteries to develop a computerized database
 40    of  all  burials  in  the  cemetery and a computerized GIS map of the cemetery
 41    showing each grave location. It is intended that  the  grants  be  a  matching
 42    grant  program  with  the State Historical Society providing fifty percent and
 43    the local entity matching the fifty percent. Grant amounts shall be limited to
 44    a maximum of $10,000 per cemetery.
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        SECTION 2.  Unexpended moneys in  the  State  Historical  Society  Account
  2    appropriated  by  this  act  on  June 30, 2001, and June 30, 2002, need not be
  3    encumbered as they are deemed encumbered and are appropriated for the  follow-
  4    ing fiscal year.
                                                                        
  5        SECTION  3.  This  act shall be in full force and effect on and after July
  6    1, 2000.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact

                 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                       RS 09633 
                           
          The Idaho State Cemetery Records Preservation Program is a two-phase program that
     will provide the means for gathering and preserving valuable cemetery records, records that will
     contain the history of Idaho's communities. Governmental agencies and the public will benefit
     from the information that 
     will be gathered, both in long range planning (as in routing decisions for 
     transportation planning decisions) and as a research tool for students, historians and genealogists. 
          Phase One requires that cemeteries throughout the state be inventoried so that historical
     site information including burial data, cemetery size and 
     historical significance can be gathered and then made available for use. Phase Two provides for
     the establishment of a grant program, to be administered by the State Historical Society, that will
     assist individual cemeteries to develop both a computerized database of all burials in a particular
     cemetery and a computerized Geographic Information System (GIS) map showing grave
     locations. Cities, counties, cemetery districts, private cemeteries and others will entitled to apply
     for the grant money. 
          The legislation will provide for an appropriation to the Idaho State 
     Historical Society for purposes of implementing the Idaho State Cemetery Records Preservation
     Program in Fiscal Years 2001, 2002 and 2003. It will provide the legislative intent regarding the
     program and contracts and grants and will provide that unexpended moneys need not be
     encumbered and that those funds will be reappropriated at the end of certain fiscal years. 
     
                           
                    FISCAL IMPACT 
     
     The total amount requested is $500,000. First year expense is expected to be $60,000 or less with
     the balance of the requested amount to be used in the form of matching grants with local
     cemeteries. Cemeteries who desire to participate in the program may apply for matching grants for
     the purpose of plot identification and mapping. Any remaining balance will be returned to the
     general fund. 
     
     Contact 
               Name:       Steve Guerber 
     Phone:   (208) 334-2682 
     Name:   Senator Grant lpsen
     Phone:   (208) 332-1326 
     
                                                  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                           S 1495