§ 10.1-2211.1 Disbursement of funds appropriated for caring for Revolutionary War cemeteries and graves
A. At the direction of the Director, the Comptroller of the Commonwealth is instructed and empowered to draw annual warrants upon the State Treasurer from any sums that may be provided in the general appropriation act, in favor of the treasurers of the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (VASSAR) and the Revolutionary War memorial associations caring for cemeteries as set forth in subsection B. Such sums shall be expended by the associations for the routine maintenance of their respective Revolutionary War cemeteries and graves and for the graves of Revolutionary War soldiers and sailors not otherwise cared for in other cemeteries and in erecting and caring for markers, memorials, and monuments to the memory of such soldiers, sailors, and persons rendering service to the Patriot cause in the Revolutionary War. All such associations, through their proper officers, are required after July 1 of each year to submit to the Director a certified statement that the funds disbursed to the association or organization in the preceding fiscal year were or will be expended for the routine maintenance of cemeteries and graves specified in this section and in erecting and caring for markers, memorials, and monuments to the memory of such soldiers, sailors, and persons rendering service to the Patriot cause in the Revolutionary War. If a cemetery association fails to comply with any of the requirements of this section, such association shall be prohibited from receiving moneys allocated under this section for all subsequent fiscal years until the association fully complies with the requirements. No retroactive disbursement of funds for any preceding year shall be made. The Director shall deposit any appropriated funds that are not disbursed during the same fiscal year into the Revolutionary War Cemeteries and Graves Fund created pursuant to § 10.1-2211.1:1.
B. Allocation of appropriations made pursuant to this section shall be based on the number of graves, monuments, and markers as set forth opposite the cemetery name, or as documented by each association multiplied by the rate of $5 or the average actual cost of routine maintenance, whichever is greater, for each grave, monument, or marker in the care of a cemetery association. For the purposes of this section, the “average actual cost of care” shall be determined by the Department in a biennial survey of at least four properly maintained cemeteries, each located in a different geographical region of the Commonwealth.
St. Matthews Episcopal Church
Bethel Presbyterian Church
Glebe Burying Ground
Mossy Creek Cemetery
Augusta Stone Presbyterian Church
Hebron Presbyterian Church
Old Providence Presbyterian Church
Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church
St. John’s Reformed Lutheran Church
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
Tinkling Springs Presbyterian Church
Trinity Lutheran Church
Fincastle Presbyterian Church
Callaway-Steptoe Cemetery
Cobbs Hall Farm
Concord Presbyterian Church
Family Cemetery at Avoca
Mount Airy Family Cemetery
Haden Family Cemetery on Phillips Farm
Hat Creek Presbyterian Church
Old Chapel Churchyard
Culpeper Cemetery
Masonic Cemetery
Sweden Plantation
Pine Creek Cemetery
Tanyard-Benard-Hill Cemetery
Robinson Family Cemetery
Terry Family Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery
Leatherwood Plantation
Ketoctin Cemetery
Little River Baptist Church
Cub Creek Road Cemetery
Printz Family Cemetery
Buckler Family Cemetery
Walton Family Cemetery
Dayton Cemetery
Old Peaked Mountain Church
Soloman Litton Hollow Cemetery
St. Mary’s Lutheran Church
Thompson Family Cemetery
Green Spring Church
Sinking Spring Cemetery
St. John’s Lutheran Church
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Christ Church Cemetery
Old Presbyterian Meeting House
Fairfax City Cemetery
Pohick Church Cemetery
Washington Family Tomb
Fredericksburg Cemetery
Masonic Cemetery
St. George’s Episcopal Church
Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery
Washington and Lee University
Old City Cemetery
Warwick Burial Ground
St. Paul’s Cemetery
Cedar Grove
Trinity Episcopal Church
Hollywood Cemetery
Shockoe Hill Cemetery
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Falling Spring Presbyterian Church
High Bridge Presbyterian Church
New Providence Presbyterian Church
Timber Ridge Cemetery
Trinity Episcopal Church
Bruton Parish Church
Mount Hebron Cemetery
Old Opequon Presbyterian Church
C. In addition to any sums that may be provided in favor of the associations as set forth in subsection B, the Director shall disburse funds at the same rate to VASSAR to fund its maintenance of no more than 6,000 additional Revolutionary War graves in the Commonwealth, as documented and certified by VASSAR and set forth in a list submitted annually to the Director.
D. Any of the associations and societies set forth in subsection B or C may apply to the Director for grants to perform extraordinary maintenance, renovation, repair, or reconstruction of any of their respective Revolutionary War cemeteries and graves and to erect and care for markers, memorials, and monuments to the memory of such soldiers, sailors, and persons rendering service to the Patriot cause in the Revolutionary War. These grants shall be made from any appropriation made available by the General Assembly for such purpose or from the Revolutionary War Cemeteries and Graves Fund created pursuant to § 10.1-2211.1:1. In making such grants, the Director shall give full consideration to the assistance available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or other agencies, except in those instances where such assistance is deemed by the Director to be detrimental to the historical, artistic, or architectural significance of the site.
E. Local matching funds shall not be required for grants made pursuant to this section.
History
This law was first created in 2002. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 256 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2007, chapter 349; in 2018, chapters 639 and 641.
2002, c. 256; 2007, c. 349; 2018, cc. 639, 641.