Illinois House OKs tougher cemetery oversight

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois House is trying to toughen oversight of some cemeteries after a scandal that saw bodies desecrated and discarded at one historic graveyard.

The House approved the new regulations 89-27 Thursday night. They now go to the state Senate.

The legislation requires for-profit cemetery managers to be licensed and gives the state more power to investigate their operations.

Cemeteries would also have to maintain records on the location of bodies and submit information to a statewide database.

Municipal and religious cemeteries would be exempt from licensing.

The legislation was inspired by allegations that hundreds of graves at Burr Oak cemetery were dug up. Some remains were thrown away and others were double-stacked in graves.

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The bill is SB1471. On the Net: www.ilga.gov