157.635
157.635
Regulations of cemetery affiliated with religious society. Nothing in this subchapter prohibits a cemetery authority of a cemetery that is affiliated with a religious society organized under
ch. 187 from prohibiting the burial of the human remains of an individual in the cemetery if the individual was in a class of individuals who are prohibited under regulations adopted by the cemetery authority or religious society from being buried in the cemetery.
157.635 History
History: 1989 a. 307.
157.64(1)(1) In addition to or in lieu of other remedies provided by law, any person who violates this subchapter or any rule promulgated under this subchapter may be required to forfeit not more than $200 for each separate offense. Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate offense.
157.64(2)
(2) Any person who intentionally does any of the following may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 90 days or both:
157.64(2)(c)
(c) Fails to deposit or invest care funds or preneed trust funds as required in
s. 157.19.
157.64(3)
(3) Any person who intentionally commits an act specified under
sub. (2) (a) to
(f) with intent to defraud may be punished for theft under
s. 943.20.
157.65(1)(a)(a) If the department of regulation and licensing has reason to believe that any person is violating or has violated this subchapter or any rule promulgated under this subchapter and that the continuation of that activity might cause injury to the public interest, the department of regulation and licensing may investigate.
157.65(1)(b)
(b) If the department of commerce has reason to believe that any person is violating
s. 157.12 or any rule promulgated under
s. 157.12 and that the continuation of that activity might cause injury to the public interest, the department of commerce may investigate.
157.65(2)
(2) The department of justice or any district attorney, upon informing the department of justice, may commence an action in circuit court in the name of the state to restrain by temporary or permanent injunction any violation of this subchapter. The court may, prior to entry of final judgment, make such orders or judgments as may be necessary to restore to any person any pecuniary loss suffered because of the acts or practices involved in the action, if proof of such loss is submitted to the satisfaction of the court. The department of justice may subpoena persons and require the production of books and other documents, and may request the department of regulation and licensing or the department of commerce to exercise its authority under
sub. (1) to aid in the investigation of alleged violations of this subchapter.
157.65(3)
(3) In lieu of instituting or continuing an action under this section, the department of justice may accept a written assurance of discontinuance of any act or practice alleged to be a violation of this subchapter from the person who has engaged in the act or practice. An assurance entered into under this subsection shall not be considered evidence of a violation of this subchapter, but a violation of the assurance shall be treated as a violation of this subchapter.
BURIAL SITES PRESERVATION
157.70
157.70
Burial sites preservation. 157.70(1)(a)
(a) "Board" means the burial site preservation board.
157.70(1)(b)
(b) "Burial site" means any place where human remains are buried.
157.70(1)(d)
(d) "Director" means the director of the historical society or his or her formally appointed designee.
157.70(1)(e)
(e) "Disturb" includes defacing, mutilating, injuring, exposing, removing, destroying, desecrating or molesting in any way.
157.70(1)(f)
(f) "Human remains" means any part of the body of a deceased person in any stage of decomposition.
157.70(1)(g)
(g) "Interest" means an interest based on any of the following:
157.70(1)(g)5.
5. A commercial purpose not related to land use which is consistent with the purposes of this section.
157.70(1)(g)6.
6. Any other interest which the board deems to be in the public interest.
157.70(1)(h)
(h) "Owner" means a person who owns or leases land on which a burial site is located.
157.70(1)(i)
(i) "Qualified archaeologist" means an individual who has a graduate degree in archaeology, anthropology or a closely related field and at least one year of full-time professional experience or equivalent specialized training in archaeological or physical anthropological research, administration or management, at least 4 months of supervised field and analytic experience in general North American archaeology or physical anthropology and a demonstrated ability to carry research to completion.
157.70(1m)
(1m) Applicability. This section does not apply to the disturbance of cataloged land contiguous to a cataloged burial site if the cataloged burial site was recorded under
sub. (2) (i) before August 9, 1989.
157.70(2)
(2) Director's duties. The director shall:
157.70(2)(a)
(a) Under a special inspection warrant as required under
s. 66.122, identify and record in a catalog burial sites in this state and, for burial sites which are not dedicated, sufficient contiguous land necessary to protect the burial site from disturbance, and notify in writing every owner of a burial site or of such land so recorded and any county or local historical society in the county where the burial site or the land is located. Any information in the catalog related to the location of any burial site, the disclosure of which would be likely to result in the disturbance of the burial site or the cataloged land contiguous to the burial site, is not subject to
s. 19.35 (1). The notice shall include information about the permit required under
sub. (5) and the toll free number the owner may call for more information. In this paragraph, "sufficient contiguous land" means land that is within at least 5 feet from any part of a burial site.
157.70(2)(b)
(b) Identify and record in a catalog burial sites likely to be of archaeological interest or areas likely to contain burial sites. Any information in the catalog related to the location of any burial site likely to be of archaeological interest or of any area likely to contain a burial site, the disclosure of which would be likely to result in the disturbance of the burial site or the cataloged land contiguous to a cataloged burial site, is not subject to
s. 19.35 (1).
157.70(2)(c)
(c) Make recommendations concerning burial sites on private property for acquisition by the state or other public agencies to preserve the burial sites.
157.70(2)(d)
(d) Provide for and publicize a telephone service which allows any person in this state to call, without charge, the director to report a discovery or disturbance of a burial site.
157.70(2)(e)
(e) Establish a registry for any person whom the board determines to have an interest in a cataloged burial site or class of cataloged burial sites under
sub. (2m) (b) or
(c). The registry shall include the name of every person whom the board determines to have an interest in the preservation of a burial site or in providing for the reinterment of the human remains and objects related to burial in the burial site if the burial site is disturbed and identify the burial site in which the person is determined to have an interest. Any information in the registry related to the location of any burial site, the disclosure of which would be likely to result in disturbance of the burial site, is not subject to disclosure under
s. 19.35 (1).
157.70(2)(g)
(g) Assist Indian tribes, state agencies and other persons in any negotiation with any federal agency for the preservation of burial sites and human remains.
157.70(2)(h)
(h) Mediate, upon application of any owner or person in the registry under
par. (e), any dispute related to the disturbance or proposed disturbance of a burial site.
157.70(2)(i)
(i) Cause a cataloged burial site to be recorded by the register of deeds of the county in which the burial site is located. The historical society shall reimburse the county for the cost of recording under this paragraph from the appropriation under
s. 20.245 (3) (a).
157.70(2m)(b)
(b) Determine which Indian tribes in this state have an interest in any cataloged burial site or class of cataloged burial sites and notify the director for entry in the registry under
sub. (2) (e).
157.70(2m)(c)
(c) Determine which applicants for entry in the registry under
sub. (2p) have an interest in a cataloged burial site or class of cataloged burial sites.
157.70(2m)(d)
(d) As it deems necessary, review determinations of the director and the division of hearings and appeals in the department of administration under
sub. (5).
157.70(2m)(e)
(e) As it deems necessary, review disposition actions taken by the director under
sub. (6).
157.70(2p)
(2p) Application for registry. Any person may apply to the board for entry in the registry and shall indicate in which burial site she or he is claiming an interest.
157.70(2r)
(2r) Site disturbance prohibited. Except as provided under
subs. (4) and
(5) and
ss. 157.111 and
157.112, no person may intentionally cause or permit the disturbance of a burial site or cataloged land contiguous to a cataloged burial site. This subsection does not prohibit normal agricultural or silvicultural practices which do not disturb the human remains in a burial site or the surface characteristics of a burial site.
157.70(3)
(3) Report of disturbed burial sites. 157.70(3)(a)(a) Except as provided under
s. 979.01, a person shall immediately notify the director if the person knows or has reasonable grounds to believe that a burial site or the cataloged land contiguous to a cataloged burial site is being disturbed or may be disturbed contrary to the requirements of
subs. (4) and
(5).
157.70(3)(b)
(b) Upon receipt of any notice under
par. (a), the director shall determine if the burial site which is the subject of the notice has been cataloged under
sub. (2) (a).
157.70(4)
(4) Procedure for uncataloged burial sites. 157.70(4)(a)(a) If the director determines that a burial site reported under
sub. (3) is not cataloged under
sub. (2) (a), he or she shall immediately notify the owner of the burial site of the procedure under this subsection and of the liabilities and penalties which apply for failure to comply with the procedure. If the director deems it appropriate, he or she may give notice to the board, and to any person who has or may have an interest in the burial site, that a burial site has been reported under
sub. (3).
157.70(4)(b)
(b) No owner who has received notice under
par. (a) may in any way intentionally cause or permit any activity which would disturb the burial site which is the subject of the notice unless authorized by the director under
par. (c) 2. or
(d).
157.70(4)(c)1.1. Using information available concerning the burial site and the proposed activity, the director shall determine whether the proposed activity will disturb the burial site and whether the registry under
sub. (2) (e) shows that any person has an interest in the burial site.
157.70(4)(c)2.
2. If the director determines that the proposed activity will not disturb the burial site or will disturb a burial site in which no person is shown on the registry under
sub. (2) (e) to have an interest, he or she shall notify the owner of the owner's right to cause or permit the activity.
157.70(4)(c)3.
3. If the director determines that the proposed activity will disturb a burial site in which any other person who is not the owner is shown on the registry under
sub. (2) (e) to have an interest and that the interest is substantial, the director shall notify the owner that the owner may not cause or permit the activity unless the owner does one of the following:
157.70(4)(c)3.a.
a. Subject to
s. 157.111, authorizes the director or a qualified archaeologist approved by the director to excavate the burial site to remove and analyze any human remains and objects related to the burial in the burial site from the burial site within a reasonable time, beginning within 30 days of when ground conditions permit, for disposition under
sub. (6).
157.70(4)(c)3.b.
b. Changes the proposed activity so as not to disturb any burial site.
157.70(4)(d)
(d) If the director determines that an owner has satisfied the requirements under
par. (c) 3., he or she shall notify the owner of the owner's right to cause or permit any activity which is in keeping with the owner's action under
par. (c) 3.
157.70(4)(e)
(e) If under
par. (c) 3. a. all human remains and objects related to the burial in a burial site reported under
sub. (3) (a) are not removed from the burial site, the director shall enter the burial site into the record prepared under
sub. (2) (a).
157.70(4)(f)
(f) The director shall submit a written report to the board of any determination which he or she makes under this subsection.
157.70(5)
(5) Procedure for cataloged burial sites. 157.70(5)(a)(a) No person may intentionally cause or permit the disturbance of a cataloged burial site or the cataloged land contiguous to a cataloged burial site without a permit from the director issued under this subsection.
157.70(5)(b)
(b) Any person who intends to cause or permit any activity on a cataloged burial site or on cataloged land contiguous to a cataloged burial site which in any way might disturb the burial site or the land shall:
157.70(5)(b)1.
1. Apply to the director for a permit to disturb the burial site or the land. The application shall include the purpose of the disturbance and the names and addresses of any persons notified under
subd. 2. The director shall send the applicant the names of any person in the registry with an interest in the burial site.
157.70(5)(b)2.
2. On a form provided by the director, notify any person whose name the director has sent under
subd. 1. of the proposed disturbance. The notice to any person under this subdivision shall include information on the notified person's right to a hearing on whether the director should grant a permit to disturb the burial site or the land.
157.70(5)(c)1.1. Upon request of the applicant or any person notified under
par. (b), or if the director determines that a hearing is necessary, the director shall request the division of hearings and appeals in the department of administration to conduct a hearing on whether a permit should be issued to disturb the burial site or the land which is the subject of the request. If in any part of the hearing the location of a burial site is the subject of the testimony, such part of the hearing shall be conducted in a session closed to the public and the record of such part of the hearing shall be exempt from disclosure under
s. 19.35 (1).
157.70(5)(c)1m.
1m. If a hearing is not requested or determined to be necessary under
subd. 1., the director shall determine whether a permit should be issued to disturb the burial site or the land which is the subject of the application under
par. (b) 1. If the director determines that the benefits to the permit applicant in disturbing the burial site or the land outweigh the benefits to all other persons shown on the registry under
sub. (2) (e) to have an interest in not disturbing the burial site or the land, the director shall grant a permit to disturb the burial site or the land. In making the determination, the director shall consider the interest of the public in addition to any other interests. If the director determines that any of the following classes of interest are represented, the director shall weight the interests in the following order of priority:
