Senate passes bill that would punish cities for removing historical monuments
NASHVILLE – After brief discussion, the Senate followed after the House on Wednesday, approving a bill that would financially punish cities that remove historical monuments.
The bill would ban municipalities who remove those monuments from receiving grants administered by the Historical Commission and the state Department of Economic and Community Development for five years. The Senate passed the measure 25-5. On Tuesday, the House voted 70-19 in favor of HB 1574, which seeks to bolster the state’s Heritage Protection Act — the law that requires a waiver from the Tennessee Historical Commission before removing statues, monuments and historical markers.
Both decisions come a week after House lawmakers removed $250,000 from the state budget to punish Memphis for removing Confederate monuments last year.
The legislation would prohibit the sale or transfer of a memorial or public property containing a statue without first obtaining a waiver from the Historical Commission.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, said the bill is an important step in preserving the state’s history.
“I’ve always been a student of history. I believe in preserving our history,” he said. “People who feel themselves to be rootless, live rootless lives and all pieces of history are integral.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Jeff Yarbro, DNashville, criticized lawmakers intense focus on statues over other issues.
“If we put the level of attention and care and detail into every matter that we do in trying to deal with statues, this would be a lot better state,” he said.
The bill also allows “any entity, group or individual” with a “real interest in a memorial” to seek an injunction in Davidson County court if they believe a public entity has violated the law. The court could issue a restraining order or an injunction to preserve the memorial in question.
The bill’s introduction comes after Memphis officials, who were previously denied a waiver from the state commission to remove statues, sold two public parks in December to a nonprofit, which removed statues of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Reporter Joel Ebert contributed to this report.
Reach Reporter Jordan Buie at 615726-5970 or by email at jbuie@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @jordanbuie.