RS 25:932: Legislative declaration of intent

The legislature hereby finds the demolition, destruction, and damage of historic cemeteries and isolated graves a disrespectful practice. The legislature further finds that existing state laws do not provide for the adequate protection of historic cemeteries that are not under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Cemetery Board, are not on state lands, and are not solely comprised of unmarked graves. Cemeteries are considered by most cultures to be sacred spaces. In addition to being resting places for our dead, many of Louisiana's cemeteries are repositories of significant examples of art, architecture, and archaeology as well as containing the history of their respective communities. The importance of cemeteries should not be taken lightly, as these significant elements represent a substantial tourist attraction for the state of Louisiana, and also present an endless source of data for historians, taphologists, anthropologists, archaeologists, and genealogists that collectively lead us to a better understanding of our own culture.