S 1151: Directs the secretary of state to develop and implement an adopt-a-rural-cemetery program for the purposes of improving, repairing, and maintaining cemeteries in rural communities which are registered with and overseen by the division of cemeteries; allows municipalities to opt in to the program.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1151 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. OBERACKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing an adopt-a-rural cemetery program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 144-b 2 to read as follows: 3 § 144-b. Adopt-a-rural cemetery program. 1. The secretary of state 4 shall develop and implement an adopt-a-rural cemetery program the 5 purposes of which shall include, but not be limited to, improving, 6 repairing, and maintaining cemeteries in rural communities which are 7 registered with and overseen by the division of cemeteries and are 8 located in any municipality except in a city having a population of one 9 million or more inhabitants. A municipality may opt to participate in 10 the program. The program shall include but not be limited to: 11 (a) coordinating services by volunteers or groups to improve, repair 12 and maintain cemeteries; and 13 (b) providing and installing appropriate signs identifying those 14 volunteers or groups adopting particular rural cemeteries. 15 2. (a) Signs described in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of this 16 section must: 17 (i) be placed at the main entrance of the cemetery alongside or below 18 any existing cemetery signage; 19 (ii) match and conform to the style, color, type, font, and likeness 20 of any existing cemetery signage, including any historic preservation 21 requirements; 22 (iii) be devoid of any corporate logos, trademarks, and images; 23 (iv) be limited in size to no more than half the dimensions of the 24 largest existing cemetery signage at the location in which it shall be 25 placed; and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03561-01-5 
 S. 1151 2 1 (v) meet any other requirements that the department of state may add. 2 (b) If there is no existing signage at a cemetery, the sign for iden- 3 tifying those volunteers or groups adopting particular rural cemeteries 4 shall be constructed in accordance with how the cemetery corporation or 5 municipality which owns the cemetery shall see fit but shall be devoid 6 of any corporate logos, trademarks, and images. 7 3. The secretary of state is authorized and directed to promulgate 8 rules and regulations necessary to implement and carry out the 9 provisions of this section including but not limited to: 10 (a) the number of years that volunteers or groups may adopt a rural 11 cemetery; and 12 (b) the requirements that must be met in order to continue to be the 13 adopter of a cemetery. 14 4. The program will be funded through existing appropriations within 15 the department of state for the reimbursement of maintenance and the 16 designing, construction, and installation of the signage identifying 17 those volunteers or groups adopting particular rural cemeteries. 18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.