SB1429
War veterans; protection for memorials.
Summary
As Introduced. Protection of memorials for war veterans.
Provides that it is unlawful for localities or individuals to disturb or interfere with certain monuments, markers, and memorials for war veterans or to prevent citizens from taking proper measures and exercising proper means for the protection, preservation, and care of the monuments, markers, or memorials. The bill describes \'disturb ... (More) or interfere with\' to include removing, damaging, or defacing monuments, markers, or memorials or, in the case of the Civil War, placing Union markings or monuments on previously designated Confederate memorials or placing Confederate markings or monuments on previously designated Union memorials. The bill also deletes current provisions that allow localities to remove, relocate, contextualize, or cover such monuments or memorials. The bill changes an existing advisory referendum provision by limiting its applicability to those monuments, markers, and memorials that were erected at least 40 years ago and by requiring a two-thirds majority vote, both by voters and by the governing body, before any monument can be removed, relocated, or covered. The bill also establishes a process whereby any person with an interest can initiate an action against a person or locality that damages or defaces a publicly owned monument if a locality or its officers have failed to take such action within 60 days of the damage or defacement. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/17/2025 - Senate: Presented and ordered printed 25104252D
- 01/17/2025 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Local Government
- 01/27/2025 - Senate: Passed by indefinitely in Local Government (9-Y 6-N)
- 01/28/2025 - Senate: Impact statement from VCSC (SB1429)
