2023 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 11
BY SENATORS POPE, ABRAHAM, ALLAIN, BARROW, BERNARD, BOUDREAUX,
BOUIE, CARTER, CATHEY, CLOUD, CONNICK, CORTEZ, FESI,
FIELDS, FOIL, HARRIS, HENSGENS, HEWITT, JACKSON,
KLEINPETER, LAMBERT, LUNEAU, MCMATH, MILLIGAN, FRED
MILLS, MIZELL, MORRIS, PEACOCK, PRICE, REESE, SMITH,
STINE, TALBOT, WHITE AND WOMACK
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To urge and request the commissioner of administration, through the office of state
buildings, to implement expansion of the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park under
the Capitol Complex Master Plan as envisioned by the Capitol Park Interpretive Plan
and provide maintenance of monuments and sculptures within the Capitol Park and
on the State Capitol.
WHEREAS, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 60 of the 2017 Regular Session of
the Legislature designated the gardens and grounds surrounding the Old Arsenal Museum
on the capitol grounds as the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park, all part of the Capitol
Complex Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, R.S. 49:150.1 charges the director of the office of state buildings with
the management, operation, and maintenance of the Capitol Complex grounds, including the
Old Arsenal Museum and the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park Monuments Master Plan
provides for six monument sites in the Capitol Park, placement of which is to be balanced
to retain the historical registry designation and historic character of the area surrounding the
Old Arsenal Museum as well as honoring the service and sacrifices of Louisiana members
of the military services and their families throughout the history of the United States of
America; and
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WHEREAS, the Capitol Complex attracts many visitors annually, both in-state and
out-of-state, to its buildings and grounds, including the Old Arsenal Museum and the
Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park; and
WHEREAS, the monuments and sculptures located within the Capitol Park,
including those in the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park and on the State Capitol, contribute
to the visitor experience, and such monuments and sculptures should be properly
maintained; and
WHEREAS, parking for visitors, particularly during sessions of the legislature, is a
major concern which should be addressed as quickly as possible; and
WHEREAS, opportunity for expansion of the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park to
the south and improved connection of the memorial park to the core of Capitol Park may be
accomplished by demolition of the current parking garage of the old state insurance building
and converting that space into additional planned parking space for Capitol Park visitors; and
WHEREAS, additional efforts to alleviate parking problems in the Capitol Complex
can be accomplished by construction of a parking garage on the site of the existing surface
parking area directly north of the Capitol Annex and south of the Claiborne Building through
the capital outlay funding program as envisioned in the Capitol Park Interpretive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Capitol Park Interpretive Plan further envisions routing traffic on
a portion of North Fifth Street and State Capitol Drive around Capital Park in order to
expand the footprint of the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park allowing additional space for
its visitors and also helping to remember and honor our veterans in a thoughtful and
dignified manner.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the commissioner of administration, through the office of state buildings,
to implement expansion of the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park under the Capitol
Complex Master Plan, as envisioned in the Capitol Park Interpretive Plan particularly as it
relates to the demolition of the old state insurance building parking garage, converting that
space into additional planned parking space for Capitol Park visitors, and construction of a
parking garage on the site of the existing surface parking lot between the Capitol Annex and
the Claiborne Building.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge
and request the commissioner of administration, through the office of state buildings, to
provide periodic maintenance, occurring not less than biannually, of all monuments within
the Capitol Park, including those within the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park, and all
sculptures on the State Capitol.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Commissioner of Administration, Jay Dardenne.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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