General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1141 January Session, 2013 LCO No. 4735 *04735_______JUD* Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY Introduced by: (JUD) General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1141 January Session, 2013 LCO No. 4735 *04735_______JUD* Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY Introduced by: (JUD) AN ACT CONCERNING THE DESECRATION OF PROPERTY LOCATED IN A CEMETERY. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Section 53a-218 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2013): (a) A person is guilty of interference with a cemetery or burial ground when [he] such person, without authorization of the owner of the burial lot [, or a lineal descendant of the deceased,] or of the municipality, cemetery association or person or authority responsible for the control or management of the cemetery or burial ground: (1) Intentionally destroys, mutilates, defaces, injures or removes any tomb, monument, gravestone or other structure placed or designed for a memorial of the dead, or any portion or fragment thereof, or any fence, railing, curb or other enclosure for the burial of the dead, in or from any cemetery or burial ground; or (2) wantonly or maliciously disturbs the contents of any tomb or grave in any cemetery or burial ground. (b) Interference with a cemetery or burial ground is a class C felony and any person found guilty under this section shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars. This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 October 1, 2013 53a-218 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 October 1, 2013 53a-218 Statement of Purpose: To ensure that a complaint from the owner of a burial lot alleging interference with a burial ground is properly investigated by law enforcement personnel. [Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]