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Health & Fitness

Lawmakers Advance Deterrent Measure for Defacement, Theft of Veterans' Graves

House bill imposes a hefty fine on businesses or recycling centers found to have purchased or accepted metal taken from a veteran's grave stone.

 May 20, 2011

Legislation seeking to deter theft or defacement of a veteran’s grave stone was approved by the Illinois General Assembly, said State Sen. Kirk Dillard. House Bill 3273, sponsored by Dillard and Rep. Patti Bellock (R-Westmont), imposes a hefty fine on businesses or recycling centers found to have purchased or accepted metal taken from a veteran’s grave stone.

“While it’s horrendous to rob any grave, it’s even worse when it’s a veteran’s memorial,” said Dillard. “Members of our Armed Forces should be honored and treated with respect in death, just as they were honored in life.”

Dillard explained that as the value of metal has risen, there has been an increase in the defacement of veterans’ graves, which are frequently decorated with bronze, copper or other metal ornamentation. Thieves remove the metal and then sell it as scrap to businesses and metal recycling centers.
 
In an effort to dissuade businesses from accepting the metal and, as a result, discourage the defacement of veteran’s graves, Dillard said that if HB 3273 is signed into law any business or recyclable metal dealer will be fined up to $1,000 per grave marker if they are found to have purchased, accepted or exchanged anything of value for metal taken from the grave marker of a veteran.

House Bill 3273 also requires cemetery officials to notify any local law enforcement agencies and, if possible, the family of the deceased veteran, upon discovering that metal has been taken from the grave marker.

Currently, state and federal law prohibit the defacement or theft of veterans’ grave markers and monuments, but there are no penalties for businesses that accept or recycle stolen headstones or headstone ornamentation.

Having been approved unanimously by the General Assembly, House Bill 3273 moves to Gov. Pat Quinn for further consideration.

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