• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Submit News
  • Contact Us

Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

  • Featured
  • Leaders
  • Government
  • Industry
  • Education
  • Opinion
You are here: Home / Government / Leader Fentrice Driskell’s Abandoned Cemeteries Bill Passes Second Committee Stop

Leader Fentrice Driskell’s Abandoned Cemeteries Bill Passes Second Committee Stop

Posted on March 24, 2023

Leader Fentrice Driskell’s (D-Tampa) bill, House Bill 49 – Abandoned and Historic Cemeteries, unanimously passed its second committee stop. HB 49 is a continuation of Leader Driskell’s commitment to addressing abandoned cemeteries in the State of Florida.

Leader Driskell and former Senator Janet Cruz (D-Tampa) first filed HB 37  in 2021 following a story by Tampa Bay Times journalist, Paul Guzzo, who uncovered Zion Cemetery, an abandoned African-American cemetery in Tampa that now is under an affordable housing complex. HB 37 (2021)  created a Statewide Task Force which published a 200-page report with recommended strategies for the identification, recording, and education of abandoned cemeteries and burial grounds.

HB 49 seeks to codify the Task Force’s recommendations. It creates the Historic Cemeteries Program and the Historic Cemeteries Program Advisory Council within the Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources to support and facilitate abandoned and historic cemetery education and maintenance. With the passage of this bill, Floridians can be assured that this is a priority of the State.

“It is with great honor that I announce the passage of HB 49 with strong bipartisan support at its first two committee stops. I am looking forward to continuing working with my colleagues to get this bill through its remaining committee. I am committed to working towards a Florida where everyone has the freedom to be healthy, prosperous, and safe,” said Leader Driskell.

HB 49 unanimously passed its first committee, the Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee on February 23, 2023. Its next stop will be the State Affairs committee. The Senate companion by Senator Bobby Powell (D-West Palm Beach), CS/SB 340, passed its first committee on March 15, 2023.

Share this article! Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Filed Under: Government Tagged With: Abandoned Cemeteries Bill

Primary Sidebar

    Submit News    

Governor Ron DeSantis Highlights Largest Tax Relief Plan in Florida’s History

Record $2.7 billion of tax relief could save a family of four as much as $1,000 over the course of a … [Read More...] about Governor Ron DeSantis Highlights Largest Tax Relief Plan in Florida’s History

Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet Invest $103 Million to Conserve Vital Lands in Florida

Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet today approved the investment of over $103 million … [Read More...] about Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet Invest $103 Million to Conserve Vital Lands in Florida

Florida Preserves Historic Number of Agricultural Operations Through Rural and Family Lands Protection Program

The Governor and Cabinet today approved the preservation of approximately 18,279.38 acres … [Read More...] about Florida Preserves Historic Number of Agricultural Operations Through Rural and Family Lands Protection Program

Keep in Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Newsletter signup

Stay in the loop! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive a brief recap of the week's most popular stories.

Footer

News

  • Featured
  • Leaders
  • Government
  • Industry
  • Education
  • Opinion

About Us 

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Submit News
  • Contact Us

Keep in Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021
Terms & Conditions

© Copyright 2023 Capital Soup · All Rights Reserved ·