Bill aiming to protect historical monuments passes committee

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – A Florida bill making its way through the Legislature would seek to protect a historical monuments and memorials.

The bill specifies that any person or entity that damages, defaces, destroys, or removes a monument or memorial on publicly owned property without owner authorization is liable for three times the amount of the full cost to repair or replace the monument or memorial.

The bill, filed by Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, passed in the House Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law and Government Operations Subcommittee Tuesday.

“House bill 1607, Monuments and Memorials, recognizes that history belongs to all Floridians, indeed to all Americans,” Black said.

The bill provides that the relocation of a monument or memorial is only allowed when necessary for public construction projects provided that the monument or memorial is relocated to a site of similar problem prominence within the same community or municipality.

It allows that a public entity, Florida resident, or historic preservation organization has the right going forward, to bring civil actions for damages and violations of this statute.

The bill was up for debate during the subcommittee and some members questioned the bill.

Rep. Michele Rayner-Goolsby, D-St. Petersburg, asked Black if certain statues or monuments, such as a monument of someone who “perpetuated terror” in certain areas where “black folks were lynched,” if a city would be able to take it down under the bill.

Black said he wants people to “walk in those parks” and not say the things “memorialized by these memorials never happened.” He said more memorials should be put up and “they should tell all of those horrible stories.”

“I want them to see these statues, those that remind us of good things in our history and those that remind us of bad times,” Black said. “And I want them to see the subsequent monuments that were put up by others who had learned better. And I want everyone to remember lest it be forgotten.”

Rep. Katherine Waldron, D-Wellington, voted against the bill. She said that it is “a bit hypocritical” to “ban uncomfortable history books” and then “insist” historical statues should “not really be touched.”

Waldron said monuments are meant to “celebrate and honor our past” and in some instances, she said she is “not no sure that’s always the case.” Another issue Waldron had on the bill was the local preemption element to it.

Rep. Jervonte Edmonds, D-West Palm Beach, voted up on the bill, but said he would like to see in the next committee some type of “qualifications” on what statues are being built.

“I just hope in this bill that we can maybe create some type of rubric of who deserves a statue and to look at the historical context, to make sure that they did have a clean history, that we’re not uplifting those who may cause hurt to individuals,” Edmonds said.

Goolsby, who voted down, said she “maybe could be in favor of a bill that gave a little bit more power back to the city and local governments.”

“I think that if we’re wanting to talk about monuments and history that, especially, that rests on local ground, that is not state ground, that should be left up to local governments,” Goolsby said. “That should be left up to the people of that area, that should be left up to refer to a referendum or to a vote of the people.

Rep. Robert Charles Brannan, R-Macclenny, supported the bill and said “let’s show some protection.”

“Let’s protect everything. Let’s tell the story, the good, the bad, the ugly, the warts, all of it, and let’s have conversations, and let’s appreciate our history,” Brannan said.

Rep. Webster Barnaby, R-Deltona, voted yes and thanked Black for an “excellent bill.”

Barnaby said it is the state’s responsibility to preserve monuments.

“It amazes me to listen that the the voices that want to tear down the history, the great history of America,” Barnaby said.

Barnaby said he prays the rest of his colleagues would “find the courage to be up on this bill.”

“And I tell you what, we’re the greatest country in the world and we’re going to do the right thing all the time,” Barnaby said. “I’m going to always do the right thing by suggesting that every one of our bills are for all of us, for all Americans. So God bless you, Representative Black and thank you for this wonderful bill.”

Black closed on the bill and said people should be able to tour Florida and “see the history fully present, not just what a local city council wants them to be able to see when they arrive.”

“We’re talking about history that belongs to all of us. No mob from another city has a right to come, rampage through Florida, and tear down our monuments or intimidate other municipalities into doing it for fear of their own safety of their citizens if they don’t,” Black said.