Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 251 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H1/27/25 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1194 3
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By: Representative Cavenaugh 5
By: Senator B. Johnson 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE PLACEMENT 9
OF A MONUMENT ON THE STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS IN 10
RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION OF THE INTEGRATION OF 11
HOXIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 12
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Subtitle 15
TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING THE 16
PLACEMENT OF A MONUMENT ON THE STATE 17
CAPITOL GROUNDS IN RECOGNITION AND 18
APPRECIATION OF THE INTEGRATION OF HOXIE 19
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 20
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
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SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. FINDINGS AND LEGISLATIVE INTENT. (a) The 24
General Assembly finds that: 25
(1) The first court battle to implement the decision in Brown v. 26
Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was fought in the town of Hoxie, 27
Arkansas, which sparked the first federal support of integration after the 28
decision in Brown, supra, and the first court order overturning state 29
segregation laws; 30
(2) In the summer of 1955, the Hoxie School Board voluntarily 31
desegregated its schools and fully integrated all school facilities; 32
(3) The newly formed White Citizens’ Council saw the integration 33
as a test for southern resistance to the decision in Brown, supra, and 34
descended on Hoxie with efforts to force the Hoxie School Board to rescind 35
its desegregation; 36 As Engrossed: H1/27/25 HB1194
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(4) Despite these efforts, the Hoxie superintendent and the 1
Hoxie School Board stood their ground; 2
(5) With the help of the National Association for the 3
Advancement of Colored People, the Hoxie School Board sought an injunction 4
against segregationist groups, eventually drawing the United States 5
Government’s support in a case that nullified state segregation laws; 6
(6) Segregationist leaders were so furious over their loss in 7
the case that they turned on Governor Orval Faubus in the next primary, 8
forcing him out of his previously moderate stance and setting up the 1957 9
confrontation at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas; 10
(7) Life Magazine chronicled the Hoxie integration, which was 11
viewed as a success despite students, the families of students, and school 12
administrators experiencing dynamic challenges during this historic and 13
transformative time; and 14
(8) The first court battle for school desegregation in Hoxie 15
changed the face of Arkansas public schools. 16
(b) It is the intent of this act to place a monument on the State 17
Capitol grounds in recognition and appreciation of the historic integration 18
of Hoxie public schools in 1955. 19
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 19 -5-1125(e)(2), concerning the Arkansas 21
Capitol Grounds Monument and Memorial Preservation Fund, is amended to read 22
as follows: 23
(2) Before the expenditure of any moneys from the Arkansas 24
Capitol Grounds Monument and Memorial Preservation Fund for the maintenance, 25
repair, alteration, addition, reconstruction, or upkeep of any kind for a 26
specific monument or memorial areas on State Capitol grounds, if there is a 27
fund dedicated to that specific monument or memorial, the Secretary of State 28
shall utilize the gifts, grants, and donations made to the following funds 29
for the maintenance, repair, alteration, addition, reconstruction, or upkeep 30
of that specific monument or memorial: 31
(A) Vietnam Veterans' Veterans Monument Fund; 32
(B) Arkansas Military War Veterans Monument Fund; 33
(C) Ten Commandments Monument Display Act under § 22 -3-34
221; 35
(D) Gold Star Family Memorial Monument Fund; and 36 As Engrossed: H1/27/25 HB1194
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(E) Arkansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial Board under § 1
22-3-1704; and 2
(F) Hoxie: The First Stand Memorial Monument Fund . 3
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SECTION 3. Arkansas Code Title 19, Chapter 5, Subchapter 11, is 5
amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 6
19-5-1160. Hoxie: The First Stand Memorial Monument Fund. 7
(a) There is established on the books of the Treasurer of State, the 8
Auditor of State, and the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State a trust fund to 9
be known as the “Hoxie: The First Stand Memorial Monument Fund”. 10
(b) The fund shall consist of gifts, grants, and donations from 11
individuals and organizations as provided under the Hoxie: The First Stand 12
Memorial Monument Act, § 22 -3-224, and other funds as may be provided by law. 13
(c) The fund shall be used exclusively for the purpose of erecting and 14
maintaining a suitable monument on the State Capitol grounds in recognition 15
and appreciation of the integration of Hoxie public schools in 1955, as 16
provided in the Hoxie: The First Stand Memorial Monument Act, § 22 -3-224. 17
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SECTION 4. Arkansas Code Title 22, Chapter 3, Subchapter 2, is amended 19
to add an additional section to read as follows: 20
22-3-224. Hoxie: The First Stand Memorial Monument Act. 21
(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Hoxie: The 22
First Stand Memorial Monument Act”. 23
(b)(1) The Secretary of State shall permit and arrange for the 24
placement on the State Capitol grounds of a monument commemorating the 25
integration of Hoxie public schools in 1955. 26
(2) The monument shall be placed on the State Capitol grounds 27
where there are other monuments. 28
(3)(A) The monument shall be designed and constructed in the 29
manner recommended by Hoxie the First Stand Inc., or in a manner similar to 30
the design recommended by Hoxie the First Stand Inc. 31
(B) The Secretary of State shall approve the design and 32
site selection for the monument through consultation with the Capitol Arts 33
and Grounds Commission. 34
(c) The Secretary of State may accept gifts, grants, and donations 35
from individuals and organizations to be deposited as trust funds into the 36 As Engrossed: H1/27/25 HB1194
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Hoxie: The First Stand Memorial Monument Fund. 1
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/s/Cavenaugh 3
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APPROVED: 3/6/25 6
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