A BILL to amend and reenact § 10.1-2211.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to historical African American cemeteries and graves; qualified organization; Fairfax burial grounds.
HB1236 amends Virginia law governing the disbursement of state funds for the care of historical African American cemeteries and graves. The bill keeps the existing framework for the Historical African American Cemeteries and Graves Fund, but updates and expands the list of eligible cemeteries and burial grounds, including several Fairfax burial grounds and other sites across the Commonwealth. It also continues the formula for allocating funds based on the number of graves, monuments, and markers, with a minimum rate of $5 per grave, monument, or marker or the average actual maintenance cost, whichever is greater.
The bill allows the Department of Historic Resources to disburse funds not only for the cemeteries specifically listed in the statute, but also for additional historical African American graves certified by the Department and documented in its cultural resources database. It preserves requirements that funds be used for routine maintenance, markers, memorials, and monuments, and it maintains reporting and compliance obligations for recipient organizations. It also continues to allow grants for extraordinary maintenance, renovation, repair, or reconstruction, and permits localities to hold funds on behalf of qualified organizations without requiring local matching funds.
In practical terms, HB1236 would affect § 10.1-2211.2 of the Code of Virginia by broadening and clarifying which burial grounds may receive state maintenance funding and by reinforcing the administrative role of the Department of Historic Resources. The bill would continue to direct appropriated state money toward preservation of historically significant African American burial sites, including both public and private cemeteries and graves, and would impose ongoing documentation and compliance requirements on recipients.
The overall sentiment reflected in the available record appears supportive, as the bill was reported out of committee unanimously before being stricken from the docket. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded debate in the materials provided. The unanimous 22-0 committee vote suggests broad agreement on the importance of preserving these burial grounds and maintaining the funding mechanism.
The main point of potential contention is not reflected in the voting record, but the bill’s expansion of eligible sites and continued use of state appropriations could raise questions about funding priorities, administrative oversight, and how the Department verifies and certifies additional graves. The inclusion of specific Fairfax burial grounds and other named sites may also be significant to local stakeholders seeking recognition and access to preservation funds.
HB1236 would amend § 10.1-2211.2 of the Code of Virginia, expanding and clarifying the state’s program for funding the maintenance of historical African American cemeteries and graves. It would affect the Department of Historic Resources’ administration of the Historical African American Cemeteries and Graves Fund, the eligibility of qualified organizations and localities to receive funds, and the list of burial grounds eligible for support. It also preserves reporting, use-of-funds, and compliance requirements for recipients, while allowing additional certified graves to be funded through the Department’s cultural resources database.
The available record indicates generally favorable sentiment toward the bill. It was unanimously approved in committee on a 22-0 vote before being stricken from the docket, suggesting strong bipartisan or at least broad committee support for the preservation and maintenance of historical African American burial sites. No hearing transcript is available, so the materials do not show any recorded opposition or detailed debate.
No explicit opposition appears in the provided materials, but the bill’s likely pressure points are administrative and fiscal. Possible concerns include the use of state funds, the Department’s authority to certify additional graves and determine allocations, and the need to verify documentation for newly eligible sites. Localities, cemetery owners, and preservation organizations may have differing interests in how funds are distributed, but the record provided does not identify any specific faction arguing against the bill.