Today, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) joined the Senate’s passage of legislation seeking to ensure veterans’ graves will receive proper care. Sen. Needleman also signed on to co-sponsor the legislation. The bill will create a working group to ensure family members of deceased veterans buried in Connecticut cemeteries can raise concerns regarding the upkeep of their loves ones’ graves.
“This bill came directly from the family members and loved ones of veterans in Connecticut asking for ways to ensure their loved ones can rest without issue. We hear you loud and clear,” said Sen. Needleman. “Veterans make sacrifices to protect the rest of us, and they deserve direct and continued respect for all they give in the name of our country. Preserving their resting places is the least we can do. I’m hopeful this working group will bring us positive results, which we can use to support our veterans and military families.”
Senate Bill 642, “An Act Establishing A Working Group To Address Concerns Regarding The Upkeep Of Veterans’ Graves,” would create a seven-member working group including representatives from the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Consumer Protection and Public Health; a representative of the funeral service industry; a representative of a municipal leader organization; a representative of small towns; and a member of the cemetery industry. This working group would develop a process for family members of deceased veterans buried in Connecticut cemeteries to address concerns regarding the veterans’ graves. That working group would operate in the latter half of 2023, reporting their findings to the legislature no later than the start of 2024.
This bill came after lawmakers received reports from constituents regarding the quality and condition of their loved ones’ gravesites at a number of cemeteries across the state. Family members say they have little recourse to see the conditions improved due to limited resources at many cemeteries and limited legal oversight, the Hartford Courant reported earlier this year; some volunteers work to clean and clear gravesites themselves. State Senator Christine Cohen introduced the bill in January.