RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery (180-RICR-20-00-1)

Regulation Authority:

R.I. Gen. Laws § 30-25-14

Purpose and Reason:

This rule is being adopted due to significant formatting changes (as required by RI General Laws, Section 42-35-2.11) and reorganization of the previous version of the rule, Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery Rules & Regulations, which will be repealed. Additional changes made to the rule include: •Clarifying the authority for enforcement of cemetery rules rests with the Director of Veterans Affairs, or his or her designee, and instituting discretion with the Cemetery Administrator for increased flexibility with burial scheduling; •Eligibility criteria and interment policies have been updated; •Graveside adornment rules have been consolidated and further clarified; •The general cemetery rules were revised to reflect best practices of other veterans cemeteries, with specific guidance taken from the National Cemetery Administration; •A section on the process for having monuments placed in the cemetery was added. •Certain comments and testimony received after a public hearing on May 6, 2016 were incorporated as part of the proposed revisions and additional clarification were made to the rule as a result of the public hearing held on July 7, 2017.