SLS 20RS-729 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 448
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX AND REPRESENTATI VE DUPLESSIS
MILITARY AFFAIRS. Provides for an African-American military service members
monument in the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 49:150.1(I), relative to the State Capitol Complex; to provide for the
3 establishment and maintenance of a monument honoring African-American service
4 members; to provide for the duties of the superintendent of state buildings relative
5 thereto; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 49:150.1(I) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 SUBPART H. STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX
9 ยง150.1. State capitol complex; allocation of space; maintenance; law enforcement
10 officer and firefighter memorial; Gold Star Families monument;
11 African-American military service members monument
12 * * *
13 I.(1) Subject to the joint approval and oversight of the governor the
14 president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives, the
15 superintendent of state buildings shall do all of the following:
16 (a) Set aside and maintain an appropriate area accessible to the public
17 on the east side of the state capital on the grounds surrounding the Old Arsenal
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 448
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1 Museum known as the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park, for a monument
2 honoring the service and sacrifices of African-American military service
3 members and their families throughout the history of the United States of
4 America, including service in the longest siege in American history at Port
5 Hudson during the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the
6 Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom,
7 and Operation Iraqi Freedom, among other conflicts.
8 (b) Plan, implement, and maintain the monument.
9 (2) The funding source for the initial construction of the monument shall
10 consist solely of private donations, grants, and other nonpublic monies;
11 however, public funds may be used to maintain the monument.
12 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
13 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
14 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
15 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
16 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by James Benton.
DIGEST
SB 448 Original 2020 Regular Session Boudreaux
Present law provides for and specifies the allocation and use of space within the state capitol,
pentagon court buildings, and the Old Arsenal Museum, including the subbasement,
basement, and all floors of the state capitol, all buildings in the pentagon court, and the Old
Arsenal Museum. Provides that except as otherwise provided in present law, the
superintendent of state buildings will have charge of the management, operation, and
maintenance of the state capitol building, pentagon court buildings, the Old Arsenal
Museum, and the capitol complex grounds.
Present law provides that in the performance of such duties, the superintendent will be under
the authority and direction of the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and
the president of the Senate. Further provides that subject to their joint approval and oversight
the superintendent of state buildings will:
(1)Set aside and maintain an area on the grounds of the state capitol east of the Old
Arsenal Museum for a memorial honoring law enforcement officers and firefighters
who are killed in the line of duty.
(2)Plan, implement, and maintain the memorial itself.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 448
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(3)Establish and maintain a fund to consist of private donations, grants, and other
similar, but nonstate, monies which shall be used with respect to the establishment,
and maintenance of the memorial.
Proposed law additionally requires, subject to the joint approval and oversight of the
governor, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives, the
superintendent of state buildings to:
(1)Set aside and maintain an appropriate area on the east side of the state capitol on the
grounds surrounding the Old Arsenal Museum known as the Louisiana Veterans
Memorial Park, for a monument honoring the sacrifices of African-American service
members.
(2)Plan, implement, and maintain the monument.
Proposed law specifies that funding sources for the initial construction of the monument will
consist solely of private donations, grants, and other nonpublic monies. Provides, however,
that public funds may be used to maintain the monument.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 49:150.1(I))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.