HOUSE BILL NO. 540 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled January 7, 2008 A BILL to amend and reenact § 55-48 of the Code of Virginia, relating to disclosing on the deed whether the property is, or has been, used as a cemetery. ---------- Patron-- Orrock ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 55-48 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 55-48. Form of a deed.

Every deed, corrected or amended deed, deed of release, or memorandum or addendum to any of these instruments, including those with vendor's liens, shall name in the first clause each grantor and each grantee under whose names the instrument is to be indexed as required by § 17.1-249 and may be made in the following form, or to the same effect: "This deed, made the . . . . . . . . day of . . . . . . . ., in the year . . . . . . . . . ., between (here insert names of parties as grantors or grantees), witnesseth: that in consideration of (here state the consideration), the said . . . . . . . . doth (or do) grant unto the said . . . . . . . ., all (here describe the property, including the name of the city or county in which the property is located, and insert covenants or any other provisions). Witness the following signature and seal (or signatures and seals)." Every deed, corrected or amended deed, deed of release, or memorandum or addendum to any of these instruments shall also state whether or not the property is, or has ever been, used as a cemetery or burial ground, and such information shall be recorded with the instrument pursuant to § 17.1-227.