Volunteers search for graves at the Hill Family Cemetery in Mae Valley in 2021. Since 1987, Washington law has prohibited the creation of private family cemeteries, but a bill prefiled in the Legislature is poised to change that.
December 30, 2024
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January 2, 2025 2:35 a.m.
Bill headed to WA Legislature would allow private family cemeteries
OLYMPIA — Washington could allow family burial plots on private property, according to a statement from the office of Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, who prefiled the bill Dec. 13. House Bill 1065 would amend state law to allow burials on private land if other conditions are met, according to the statement. The legislation addresses ambiguity in state law, protects property rights, and honors cultural traditions, Walsh wrote.