OLYMPIA, Wash. — In Washington state, it may become legal to bury your family members in your own backyard.
A bill introduced by Washington State Republican Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, proposes legalizing family burials on private property.
HB 1037 would change Washington state’s current law, which requires all burials to be conducted by registered cemetery corporations.
“The idea for this bill came from several groups, including some tribal members, living in my district,” said Walsh. “It means a great deal to them and others across the state that would like to have better options when it comes to private property family burials. In the spirit of the West and of property rights, I believe this is a good and important bill.”
Walsh said the bill would allow the long-held tradition in the West of being buried on land that your family owns, which was commonplace in the early years of Washington state, to continue.
Under the measure, property owners would be able to declare land they own a “family burial ground.” Regulations in the bill would require property owners to register the final resting place of their family members.
They would also need to tell potential buyers of the property about any burials there.
The bill now heads to the Senate after it was unanimously passed in the House.