GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1987 SESSION
CHAPTER 183
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS CEMETERIES.
Whereas, North Carolina has more than 680,000 veterans of military service; and
Whereas, those veterans are deserving of the opportunity to be buried in a veterans cemetery in recognition of their service to our country; and
Whereas, by 1992, all of the four national cemeteries in North Carolina will be filled, with the Wilmington cemetery being filled and closed at the end of 1986; and
Whereas, the Veterans Administration has now gone to a regional concept for national cemeteries, with the nearest such facility being in the state of Alabama; and
Whereas, veterans are deserving of being buried in close proximity to where their families and friends live and to not have to be transported to Alabama for burial; and
Whereas, the Veterans Administration now has a dollar-for-dollar match program to encourage states to build veterans cemeteries; and
Whereas, 11 states have taken advantage of this program for the benefit of their veterans; and
Whereas, the United States Government owns sufficient land in North Carolina, especially in the 3rd, 7th and 11th United States Congressional Districts, that may be transferred to the State for development as veterans cemeteries; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. Chapter 65 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article 8A as follows:
"Article 8A.
"Veterans Cemeteries.
"§ 65-41. Land acquisition. - The State may accept land for the establishment of not more than three veterans cemeteries.
"§ 65-42. Location of cemeteries. - These veterans cemeteries may be located in those regions of the State with a high concentration of veterans including the 3rd, 7th and 11th United States Congressional Districts."
Sec. 2. This act is effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 14th day of May, 1987.