AN ACT relating to human remains and burial objects.
     Create new sections of KRS Chapter to require persons excavating archaeological sites on private property to obtain a permit from the Kentucky Heritage Council; establish a process by which the landowner shall provide reasonable access to the cemeteries to the descendants and relatives of those buried within; place responsibility on the land owner to maintain the cemetery's integrity; make denial of access to the cemetery a violation; set out a process by which the state shall dispose of human remains within its custody and control; permit a legally-recognized tribal government to conduct reinterment ceremonies for Native Americans; require a person who encounters or accidentally disturbs human remains to immediately cease disturbing the ground in the area of the human remains; place responsibility of encountered or accidentally discovered human remains on the cemetery owner or the state and require responsible party to dispose of; require persons wishing to possess human remains or burial objects to obtain a permit from the Office of Vital Statistics and limit possession to teaching, medical, scientific, or training purposes; make unlawful possession of human remains or burial objects a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class D felony for each subsequent offense; make a person who unlawfully possesses human remains or burial objects to reimburse the state for the cost of properly disposing of the remains and objects; prohibit the excavation of human remains and burial objects; amend KRS 525.105 to delete the requirement that desecration of a venerated object is shown only when one's purpose is commercial gain or exploitation; require that the tools, implements, or vehicles used in desecrating human objects be seized and sold with profits from such sale going to the council; require violator to reimburse the Commonwealth for its costs in properly disposing the human remains and the land owner for damage to the property; amend KRS 525.120 to increase penalty for abuse of a corpse from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony; require human remains possessed or so used to be seized and forfeited to the state; require the violator to reimburse the Commonwealth for the cost of properly disposing the human remains.

     Feb 23-introduced in House
     Feb 24-to Licensing and Occupations (H)
     Feb 26-posted in committee
     Mar 3-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute
     Mar 4-2nd reading, to Rules; posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 5, 2004
     Mar 16-3rd reading, passed 44-41 with Committee Substitute
     Mar 17-received in Senate
     Mar 22-to Licensing, Occupations & Administrative Regulations (S)