HB 1577 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1577-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to abandoned cemeteries; amending s. 2
704.08, F.S.; requiring the state to be granted an 3
easement for ingress and egress to abandoned 4
cemeteries on private property for specified purposes; 5
providing an effective date. 6
7
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
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Section 1. Section 704.08, Florida Statutes, is amended to 10
read: 11
704.08 Cemeteries; right of ingress and egress f or 12
visiting, or maintenance, research, and searches .— 13
(1) The relatives and descendants of any person buried in 14
a cemetery shall have an easement for ingress and egress for the 15
purpose of visiting the cemetery at reasonable times and in a 16
reasonable manner. The owner of the land may designate the 17
easement. If the cemetery is abandoned or otherwise not being 18
maintained, such relatives and descendants may request the owner 19
to provide for reasonable maintenance of the cemetery, and, if 20
the owner refuses or f ails to maintain the cemetery, the 21
relatives and descendants shall have the right to maintain the 22
cemetery. 23
(2) If credible evidence supports a determination that 24
there is an abandoned cemetery located on, underneath, or 25
HB 1577 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1577-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
adjacent to land owned by a priva te owner, the state must be 26
granted an easement for ingress and egress for the purpose of 27
maintaining and conducting research and noninvasive searches at 28
such cemetery at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner 29
after providing the owner with reasonable notice. 30
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 31