Over 90 years ago, the Legislature adopted the first public cemetery district law by passing Sen-

ate Bill 524 (Roseberry, 1909). The bill’s author was Senator Louis H. Roseberry (R-Santa Bar-

bara). Roseberry was a Stanford educated attorney and reformer who supported the Republican

Party’s Progressive wing. In 1912, after completing his Senate term, he moved his law practice

from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.

Exactly why Senator Roseberry authored the original statute is unknown, but communities in

Santa Barbara County formed some of the earliest cemetery districts, including Lompoc (1909)

and Goleta (1910). On May 18, 1909, just months after Governor James N. Gillett signed Rose-

berry’s bill, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors appointed James Sloan, H. Poland,

and J.C. Lind to be the first trustees of the Lompoc Cemetery District. The new public agency

took over the ownership and operation of the Evergreen Cemetery which the Lompoc Valley

Land Company originally founded in 1875.

The Legislature revised the original Public Cemetery District Law in 1921 by enacting Senate

Bill 155 authored by Senator Claude F. Purkitt (D-Willows). SB 155 spelled out the public

cemetery districts’ powers in just 12 sections. After leaving the State Senate, Purkitt (1875-

1930) was a Glenn County judge (1921-28) while he also chaired the State Democratic Party

(1922-28).8

The Public Cemetery District Law became part of the newly-enacted Health & Safety Code in

1939. Senate Bill 657 by Senators Mixter and Foley created the Health & Safety Code for the

first time. Senator Frank W. Mixter represented Tulare County and Senator John D. Foley was

from Santa Clara County. Starting at Health & Safety Code §8890, the Public Cemetery District

Law was just one piece of the new comprehensive code.