BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.41
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H.41
IntroducedbyRepresentativesBurdittofWestRutlandandDemarof
Enosburgh
ReferredtoCommitteeon
Date:
Subject:Crimes;homicide;abuseofacorpse
Statementofpurposeofbillasintroduced:Thisbillproposestocreateanew
felonystatuteforanindividualwhoabusesacorpse.Specifically,thisbill
makesitafelonyforanindividualtotransportordestroyacorpsewithout
legalauthorization.Additionally,thisbillcreatesanaggravatedfelonypenalty
foractionstakenagainstacorpsetoconcealacrimeorotherwiseavoidthe
consequencesofthecommissionofacrime.
Anactrelatingtocreatingafelonypenaltyforabuseofacorpse
Anactrelatingtoabuseofthedeadbodyofaperson
ItisherebyenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheStateofVermont:
Sec.1.13V.S.A.§ 2312isaddedtoread:
§ 2312.ABUSEOFACORPSE
(a)Apersonisguiltyofabuseofacorpseiftheperson,withoutlegal
authorization,knowingly:
(1)transports,buries,orotherwisehidesacorpse;or
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(2)burns,mutilates,disfigures,dismembers,orotherwisedestroysa
corpse.
(b)Apersonisguiltyofaggravatedabuseofacorpseiftheperson
intentionally:
(1)transports,buries,orotherwisehidesacorpsetoconcealacrimeor
avoidapprehension,prosecution,orconvictionofacrime;
(2)burns,mutilates,disfigures,dismembers,orotherwisedestroysa
corpsetoconcealacrimeoravoidapprehension,prosecution,orconvictionof
acrime;or
(3)perpetratesorattemptstoperpetratesexualassaultagainstacorpse.
(c)(1)Apersonwhocommitsthecrimeofabuseofacorpseshallbe
imprisonedfornotmorethanfiveyearsorfinednotmorethan$5,000.00,or
both.
(2)Apersonwhocommitsthecrimeofaggravatedabuseofacorpse
shallbeimprisonedfornotlessthanfiveyearsandamaximumtermof10
yearsandmaybefinednotmorethan$10,000.00.
Sec.2.EFFECTIVEDATE
ThisactshalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025.
Sec.1.13V.S.A.§ 3761aisaddedtoread:
§ 3761a.ABUSEOFTHEDEADBODYOFAPERSON
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(a)Nopersonshall,knowinglywithoutlegalauthorization,intentionally
burn,mutilate,disfigure,dismember,ordestroythedeadbodyofaperson.
(b)(1)Nopersonshallintentionallybury,transport,hide,conceal,burn,
mutilate,disfigure,dismember,ordestroythedeadbodyofapersonforthe
purposeofconcealingacrimeoravoidingapprehension,prosecution,or
convictionofacrime.
(2)Nopersonshallcommitsexualconductuponthedeadbodyofa
person.
(c)(1)Apersonwhoviolatessubsection(a)ofthissectionshallbe
imprisonednotmorethanfiveyearsorfinednotmorethan$5,000.00,orboth.
(2)Apersonwhoviolatessubsection(b)ofthissectionshallbe
imprisonednotmorethan15yearsorfinednotmorethan$10,000.00,orboth.
(d)Asusedinthissection:
(1)“Deadbodyofaperson”doesnotincludethecrematedremainsofa
person.
(2)“Sexualconduct”meansanyofthefollowingcommittedagainstthe
deadbodyofaperson:
(A)anyconductinvolvingcontactbetweenthepenisandthevulva,
thepenisandthepenis,thepenisandtheanus,themouthandthepenis,the
mouthandtheanus,thevulvaandthevulva,orthemouthandthevulva; BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.41
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(B)anyintrusion,howeverslight,byanypartofanindividual’sbody
oranyobjectintoanypartofadeadhumanbodywiththeintentofarousing,
appealingto,orgratifyingthelust,passions,orsexualdesireofany
individual;
(C)anytouchingofthedeadhumanbodywiththeintentofarousing,
appealingto,orgratifyingthelust,passions,orsexualdesireofany
individual;
(D)masturbation;or
(E)bestiality.
Sec.2.18V.S.A.§ 5211isamendedtoread:
§5211.UNAUTHORIZEDBURIALORREMOVAL;PENALTY
Apersonwhoburies,entombs,transports,orremovesthedeadbodyofa
personwithoutaburial-transitpermitsotodo,orinanyothermannerorat
anyothertimeorplacethanasspecifiedinsuchpermit,shallbeimprisoned
notmorethanfiveyearsorfinednotmorethan$1,000.00,orboth.
Sec.3.EFFECTIVEDATE
ThisactshalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025.