§ 9-8-203. Division duties. (Effective 5/13/2014)

(1) The division shall:

(a) stimulate research, study, and activity in the field of Utah history and related history;

(b) maintain a specialized history library;

(c) mark and preserve historic sites, areas, and remains;

(d) collect, preserve, and administer historical records relating to the history of Utah;

(e) administer, collect, preserve, document, interpret, develop, and exhibit historical artifacts, documentary materials, and other objects relating to the history of Utah for educational and cultural purposes;

(f) edit and publish historical records;

(g) cooperate with local, state, and federal agencies and schools and museums to provide coordinated and organized activities for the collection, documentation, preservation, interpretation, and exhibition of historical artifacts related to the state;

(h) promote, coordinate, and administer:

(i) Utah History Day at the Capitol designated under Section 63G-1-401; and

(ii) the Utah History Day program affiliated with National History Day, which includes a series of regional, state, and national activities and competitions for students from grades 4 through 12;

(i) provide grants and technical assistance as necessary and appropriate; and

(j) comply with the procedures and requirements of Title 63G, Chapter 4, Administrative Procedures Act, in its adjudicative proceedings.

(2) The division may acquire or produce reproductions of historical artifacts and documentary materials for educational and cultural use.

(3) To promote an appreciation of Utah history and to increase heritage tourism in the state, the division shall:

(a)

(i) create and maintain an inventory of all historic markers and monuments that are accessible to the public throughout the state;

(ii) enter into cooperative agreements with other groups and organizations to collect and maintain the information needed for the inventory;

(iii) encourage the use of volunteers to help collect the information and to maintain the inventory;

(iv) publicize the information in the inventory in a variety of forms and media, especially to encourage Utah citizens and tourists to visit the markers and monuments;

(v) work with public and private landowners, heritage organizations, and volunteer groups to help maintain, repair, and landscape around the markers and monuments; and

(vi) make the inventory available upon request to all other public and private history and heritage organizations, tourism organizations and businesses, and others;

(b)

(i) create and maintain an inventory of all active and inactive cemeteries throughout the state;

(ii) enter into cooperative agreements with local governments and other groups and organizations to collect and maintain the information needed for the inventory;

(iii) encourage the use of volunteers to help collect the information and to maintain the inventory;

(iv) encourage cemetery owners to create and maintain geographic information systems to record burial sites and encourage volunteers to do so for inactive and small historic cemeteries;

(v) publicize the information in the inventory in a variety of forms and media, especially to encourage Utah citizens to participate in the care and upkeep of historic cemeteries;

(vi) work with public and private cemeteries, heritage organizations, genealogical groups, and volunteer groups to help maintain, repair, and landscape cemeteries, grave sites, and tombstones; and

(vii) make the inventory available upon request to all other public and private history and heritage organizations, tourism organizations and businesses, and others; and

(c)

(i) create and maintain a computerized record of cemeteries and burial locations in a state-coordinated and publicly accessible information system;

(ii) gather information for the information system created and maintained under Subsection (3)(c)(i) by providing matching grants, upon approval by the board, to:

(A) municipal cemeteries;

(B) cemetery maintenance districts;

(C) endowment care cemeteries;

(D) private nonprofit cemeteries;

(E) genealogical associations; and

(F) other nonprofit groups with an interest in cemeteries; and

(iii) adopt rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, for granting matching funds under Subsection (3)(c)(ii) to ensure that:

(A) professional standards are met; and

(B) projects are cost effective.

(4)

(a) For a pass-through funding grant of at least $25,000, the division shall make quarterly disbursements to the pass-through funding grant recipient, contingent upon the division receiving a quarterly progress report from the pass-through grant recipient.

(b) The division shall:

(i) provide the pass-through grant recipient with a progress report form for the reporting purposes of Subsection (4)(a); and

(ii) include reporting requirement instructions with the form.

(5) This chapter may not be construed to authorize the division to acquire by purchase any historical artifacts, documentary materials, or specimens that are restricted from sale by federal law or the laws of any state, territory, or foreign nation.

Amended by Chapter 123, 2014 General Session