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General Assembly Committee Bill No. 6077
January Session, 2023
LCO No. 5382
Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
AND ELECTIONS
Introduced by:
(GAE)
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PROCESS FOR THE ADDITION OF
DIVERSE STATUES TO THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING AND
ESTABLISHING A STATE HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 4b-60 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2023): 2
(a) There shall be a State Commission on Capitol Preservation and 3
Restoration to consist of twelve members to be appointed as follows: 4
Two members shall be appointed by the Governor, two by the speaker 5
of the House of Representatives, two by the president pro tempore of 6
the Senate, one by the House minority leader, one by the Senate 7
minority leader, two members of the Joint Committee on Legislative 8
Management, one appointed by each of the chairmen of said committee, 9
and one member of the Historic Preservation Council appointed by its 10
chairperson. The Commissioner of Administrative Services, or the 11
commissioner's designee, shall be an ex-officio member of the 12
commission and shall attend its meetings. Vacancies on the commission 13
shall be filled by the original appointing authority for the unexpired 14
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portion of the term. The members shall serve without compensation for 15
their services but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary 16
expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The commission 17
shall meet at least quarterly, and more often on the call of the chairman 18
or on the written request of a majority of the members. The commission 19
may designate subcommittees to carry out its functions. Any member 20
who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or fails to attend fifty per 21
cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to 22
have resigned. 23
(b) The commission: (1) Shall undertake a continuing review and 24
study of the State Capitol building and grounds, with a view to 25
developing a master plan for the preservation and restoration of the 26
Capitol, including necessary structural changes, consistent with the 27
original historical character of the building, with due regard being given 28
to enhancing the interior and exterior beauty of the building, making 29
better use of existing space and reducing public safety hazards; (2) shall 30
develop, as part of such master plan, a process for identifying and 31
commissioning additional statues to be added to the exterior of the State 32
Capitol building that reflect the diversity of the state; (3) may consult 33
with state, federal or private agencies with respect [thereto] to the duties 34
set forth in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection, and disseminate 35
information on its activities; and [(3)] (4) shall report on its activities to 36
the Joint Committee on Legislative Management annually or as often as 37
the committee shall direct. The Department of Administrative Services 38
shall provide professional staff assistance to the commission when 39
available. If such assistance cannot be provided within a reasonable 40
time, the commission may, with the approval of the Joint Committee on 41
Legislative Management, retain technical advisors to assist in reviewing 42
project plans and work. 43
(c) The commission is authorized to accept gifts, donations and grants 44
from the federal government or other public or private sources for the 45
purpose of such preservation and restoration. 46
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(d) The Joint Committee on Legislative Management may undertake 47
capital expenditure programs for which capital funds are authorized, in 48
connection with such preservation and restoration, including, but not 49
limited to, implementing the process developed under subdivision (2) 50
of subsection (b) of this section to commission additional statues. Such 51
programs shall be carried out by the committee, pursuant to plans and 52
specifications approved by the commission and in accordance with the 53
bidding procedures in part II of chapter 60. The commission shall adopt 54
regulations establishing basic artistic standards in keeping with the 55
original historical character of the Capitol to assist the committee in the 56
preparation of plans and specifications. 57
(e) The commission shall be an independent body within the 58
Legislative Department for administrative purposes only. 59
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2023) (a) There is established a State 60
Historical Commission, which shall be part of the executive branch. The 61
commission shall examine and make recommendations to the 62
legislative, executive and judicial branches on questions of 63
memorialization and commemoration related to Connecticut and 64
United States history. 65
(b) The commission shall consist of the following members: (1) Two 66
appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; (2) two 67
appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; (3) one appointed 68
by the minority leader of the House of Representatives; (4) one 69
appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; (5) two appointed by the 70
Governor; (6) two appointed by the chairpersons of the joint standing 71
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 72
relating to government administration, with one member appointed by 73
each chairperson; and (7) two appointed by the ranking members of the 74
joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 75
matters relating to government administration, with one member 76
appointed by each ranking member. Members shall be scholars in the 77
areas of history, literature, law or philosophy with an affiliation with an 78
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accredited institution of higher education located in this state. 79
(c) All initial appointments to the commission shall be made not later 80
than September 1, 2023. Appointed members of the commission shall 81
serve for three-year terms that shall commence on the date of 82
appointment. Members shall continue to serve until their successors are 83
appointed. 84
(d) Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any 85
vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the 86
balance of the unexpired term. 87
(e) A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the 88
transaction of any business. 89
(f) The members of the commission shall serve without 90
compensation, but shall, within the limits of available funds, be 91
reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of 92
their duties. 93
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2023 4b-60
Sec. 2 July 1, 2023 New section
Statement of Purpose:
To develop a process for identifying and commissioning additional
statues for the exterior of the State Capitol building that reflect the
diversity of the state and to establish the State Historical Commission.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]
Co-Sponsors: REP. ROJAS, 9th Dist.; REP. NOLAN, 39th Dist.
H.B. 6077