Wisconsin Legislature: 16,2852ox

16,2852ob Section 2852ob. 157.115 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (title) Abandonment of cemeteries and cemetery lots burial spaces.

16,2852obm Section 2852obm. 157.115 (1) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (1) (title) Abandonment of cemeteries: all counties.

16,2852oc Section 2852oc. 157.115 (1) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 157.115 (1) (ar).

16,2852od Section 2852od. 157.115 (1) (ag) of the statutes is created to read:

157.115 (1) (ag) This subsection applies to cemeteries in any county.

16,2852oh Section 2852oh. 157.115 (1) (b) and (c) of the statutes are renumbered 157.115 (1g) (b) and (c).

16,2852of Section 2852of. 157.115 (1g) (title) of the statutes is created to read:

157.115 (1g) (title) Abandonment of cemeteries; nonpopulous counties.

16,2852og Section 2852og. 157.115 (1g) (a) of the statutes is created to read:

157.115 (1g) (a) This subsection applies to cemeteries in counties with a population that is 600,000 or less.

16,2852oj Section 2852oj. 157.115 (1r) of the statutes is created to read:

157.115 (1r) Abandonment of cemeteries; populous counties. (a) This subsection applies to cemeteries in counties with a population greater than 600,000.

(b) If a municipality in which a cemetery is located determines that the cemetery authority has failed to care for the cemetery for a period of 6 months or more, the municipality shall notify the cemetery authority that it has 90 days to correct the failure. Upon a showing of good cause, the municipality may grant the cemetery authority one 90-day extension to correct the failure. If the municipality finds that the cemetery authority has failed to correct the failure within the deadline specified in the notice or extension, the municipality may, after a public hearing, take control of the cemetery, manage and care for the cemetery, collect and manage all trust funds connected with the cemetery other than trust funds received by a will, or take any other action necessary to provide for the care of the cemetery. The municipality may collect from the cemetery authority any costs incurred by the municipality in exercising its authority under this paragraph.

16,2852ok Section 2852ok. 157.115 (1t) of the statutes is created to read:

157.115 (1t) Injunction. Upon application by the department, a court may enjoin a person from acquiring ownership or control of a cemetery in a county with a population greater than 600,000 if the person has abandoned another cemetery anywhere in this state, or has owned or operated another cemetery anywhere in this state that is subsequently controlled by a municipality under sub. (1g) (b) or (c) or (1r) (b).

16,2852oL Section 2852oL. 157.115 (2) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (title) Abandonment of cemetery lots burial spaces.

16,2852on Section 2852on. 157.115 (2) (a) 1. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 1. (intro.) "Abandoned lot space" means one or more graves of a cemetery lot burial spaces that is are not owned by the cemetery authority of the cemetery in which the cemetery lot is burial spaces are located if those graves burial spaces have not been used for the burial of human remains and if, according to the records of the cemetery authority, all of the following apply during the 50-year period immediately preceding the date on which the notice requirement under par. (c) is satisfied:

16,2852op Section 2852op. 157.115 (2) (a) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 1. a. No owner has transferred any ownership interest in the cemetery lot burial space to any other person.

16,2852or Section 2852or. 157.115 (2) (a) 1. b. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 1. b. No owner has purchased or sold another cemetery lot or a mausoleum burial space in the cemetery.

16,2852ot Section 2852ot. 157.115 (2) (a) 1. c. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 1. c. No other grave in that cemetery lot burial space or adjoining cemetery lot or adjoining mausoleum burial space that is owned or partially owned by an owner has been used for the burial of human remains.

16,2852ov Section 2852ov. 157.115 (2) (a) 1. d. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 1. d. No grave marker, monument, or other memorial has been installed on the cemetery lot burial space.

16,2852ox Section 2852ox. 157.115 (2) (a) 1. e. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 1. e. No grave marker, monument, or other memorial has been installed on any other cemetery lot burial space, in the same cemetery, that is owned or partially owned by an owner.

16,2852oz Section 2852oz. 157.115 (2) (a) 1. g. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 1. g. The cemetery authority has not been contacted by an owner or assignee or received any other notice or evidence to suggest that an owner or assignee intends to use the cemetery lot burial space for a future burial of human remains.

16,2852pb Section 2852pb. 157.115 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 2. "Assignee" means a person who has been assigned in the deceased owner's will or in any other legally binding written agreement, or who is entitled to receive under ch. 852, an ownership interest in the abandoned cemetery lot space.

16,2852pd Section 2852pd. 157.115 (2) (a) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (a) 3. "Owner" means a person who, according to the records of the cemetery authority of the cemetery in which an abandoned cemetery lot space is located, owns or partially owns the abandoned cemetery lot space.

16,2852pf Section 2852pf. 157.115 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (b) No cemetery authority may resell an abandoned cemetery lot space unless the cemetery authority complies with the requirements in this subsection or the abandoned space is sold by a trustee under s. 157.117.

16,2852ph Section 2852ph. 157.115 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (c) The cemetery authority shall mail to each owner, at each owner's last-known address, a notice of the cemetery authority's intent to resell the abandoned cemetery lot space as provided in this subsection. If an owner is buried in the cemetery in which the abandoned cemetery lot space is located or if the cemetery authority has any other evidence that reasonably supports a determination by the cemetery authority that the owner is deceased, no notice is required under this paragraph.

16,2852pj Section 2852pj. 157.115 (2) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (d) (intro.) If no notice is required under par. (c) or if, within 60 days after notice is mailed under par. (c), no owner or assignee contacts the cemetery authority to express an intent to use the abandoned cemetery lot space for a future burial of human remains, the cemetery authority shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the abandoned lot space is located, a class 3 notice under ch. 985 that includes all of the following:

16,2852pL Section 2852pL. 157.115 (2) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (d) 1. The location of the abandoned lot space.

16,2852pn Section 2852pn. 157.115 (2) (d) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (d) 3. A statement that, unless an owner or assignee contacts the cemetery authority within the period specified in par. (e), the cemetery authority intends to resell the abandoned lot space as provided in this subsection.

16,2852pp Section 2852pp. 157.115 (2) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (e) If within 60 days after notice is published under par. (c) no owner or assignee contacts the cemetery authority to express an intent to use the abandoned lot space for a future burial of human remains, the cemetery authority shall bring an action in the circuit court of the county in which the abandoned lot space is located for a judgment that the cemetery lot burial space is an abandoned lot space and an order transferring ownership of the abandoned lot space to the cemetery authority.

16,2852pr Section 2852pr. 157.115 (2) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (f) If within one year after the circuit court enters a judgment and order under par. (e) no owner or assignee contacts the cemetery authority to express an intent to use the abandoned lot space for a future burial of human remains, the cemetery authority may resell the abandoned lot space, except as provided in par. (g). The payment of principal shall be deposited into the care fund. Before depositing the payment of principal into the care fund, the cemetery authority may retain an amount necessary to cover the cemetery authority's administrative and other expenses related to the sale, but the amount retained may not exceed 50% of the proceeds.

16,2852pt Section 2852pt. 157.115 (2) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (g) If at any time before an abandoned lot space is resold under par. (f) an owner or assignee contacts the cemetery authority to express an intent to use the abandoned lot space for a future burial of human remains, the authority may not resell the abandoned lot space, and ownership of the abandoned lot space shall be transferred to the owner or assignee. The cemetery authority shall pay all costs of transferring ownership under this paragraph.

16,2852pv Section 2852pv. 157.115 (2) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

157.115 (2) (h) Nothing in this subsection prohibits a cemetery authority from seeking the authority to resell more than one abandoned lot space by publishing a single class 3 notice under par. (d) or bringing a single action under par. (e) that applies to all of the abandoned lots spaces for which such authority is sought.

16,2852px Section 2852px. 157.117 of the statutes is created to read:

157.117 Trustees for certain cemeteries and mausoleums. (1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) "Cemetery" means a cemetery in a county with a population greater than 600,000, but does not include a cemetery the ownership, control, or management of which has been assumed by a municipality. For purposes of this paragraph, a municipality is considered to have assumed the ownership, control, or management of a cemetery only if the municipality has adopted a resolution or enacted an ordinance that has the effect of assuming ownership, control, or management of the cemetery. "Cemetery" also does not include a cemetery owned and operated by a religious cemetery authority.

(b) "Local governmental unit" means a municipality or county.

(d) "Municipality" means a city, village, or town.

(e) "Trustee" means a trustee appointed under sub. (2) (b).

(2) Appointment of trustee. (a) In response to a petition from the department or upon his or her own motion, the attorney general may petition the circuit court for the county in which a cemetery or mausoleum is located for the appointment of a trustee for the cemetery or mausoleum. If the attorney general petitions the court on his or her own motion, the attorney general shall serve a copy of the petition on the department and the municipality and county within which the cemetery is located.

(b) A court shall schedule a hearing on a petition filed under par. (a) within 90 days after the petition is filed with the court. If the court finds after a hearing that a cemetery or mausoleum is neglected, abandoned, in disuse, improperly maintained, or financially unsound, the court shall appoint as a trustee for the cemetery or mausoleum a capable and competent person to serve as trustee of the cemetery or mausoleum under this section, except that the court may not appoint the department as a trustee.

(c) An owner of a cemetery or mausoleum may petition the court in a proceeding under par. (b) for an order surrendering title to the cemetery or mausoleum to a new owner, other than the state, if the owner believes itself to be incapable of continuing to operate the cemetery or mausoleum. The court may grant the petition if it finds that the cemetery or mausoleum is neglected, abandoned, in disuse, improperly maintained, or financially unsound. If the court grants the petition, it shall transfer title to the cemetery or mausoleum to the new owner and appoint a trustee under par. (b).

(d) All disputes relating to the appointment of a trustee or the actions of a trustee appointed under this section shall be resolved by the court that appointed the trustee.

(3) Trustee powers and duties. (a) A trustee shall do each of the following:

1. Be responsible for the management, maintenance, and operation of each cemetery or mausoleum under trusteeship.

2. Comply with reporting requirements of s. 157.62 (2). A trustee shall provide the court with a copy of all reports filed under this subdivision.

3. Provide the court with any additional information, records, or reports that the court may direct.

(b) A trustee may petition the court that appointed the trustee for any of the following:

1. Termination of the trusteeship and reversion of ownership and operation of a cemetery or mausoleum to the previous owner.

2. Termination of the trusteeship and transfer of ownership and operation of a cemetery or mausoleum to a new owner other than the state.

3. Removal and reinternment of human remains in accordance with the requirements of this subchapter.

4. Termination of the trusteeship and closure of a cemetery or mausoleum after removal and reinternment of human remains under subd. 3.

1. Seek a new owner or operator of a cemetery or mausoleum, other than the state, including actively marketing the cemetery or mausoleum and taking any other action necessary or useful to effect the sale of the cemetery or mausoleum.

2. Assess burial spaces for cleaning, care, or improvement under s. 157.11 (7).

3. Expend funds disbursed from the cemetery management insurance fund for the purpose of exercising its powers or carrying out its duties under this section.

4. Employ professional, legal, and technical experts, and any such other managers, management personnel, agents, and employees as may be required, to exercise the trustee's powers or carry out the trustee's duties under this section.

5. Take any other action necessary or useful to the management or trusteeship of a cemetery or mausoleum.

(4) Department powers and duties. (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.165 (1) (q), the department shall make disbursements to trustees. The department shall promulgate rules establishing requirements and procedures for making the disbursements.

(b) The department may promulgate rules to carry out the purposes of this section.

(5) Termination of trusteeship. A court that appointed a trustee shall terminate the trusteeship if any of the following applies:

(a) The owner or operator of a cemetery or mausoleum demonstrates to the satisfaction of the court that the conditions that necessitated the trusteeship have been remedied and that it is competent and capable of managing the cemetery or mausoleum.

(b) The court finds that a new operator is competent and capable of managing the cemetery or mausoleum. Upon making a finding under this paragraph, the court shall approve the transfer of the management of the cemetery or mausoleum to the new operator.

(c) The court approves the sale or transfer of a cemetery or mausoleum to a new owner, other than the state, that the court finds is capable and competent to manage the cemetery or mausoleum on a financially sound basis.

(d) The court approves the closure of a cemetery or mausoleum after all human remains have been removed and reinterred.

16,2852pz Section 2852pz. 157.12 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read: