HB254: HB254 State government; provide placement of Revolutionary War Patriots marker on state capitol building grounds and state archives building grounds

This bill amends Georgia law governing the Capitol Art Standards Commission and the state's official symbols. It authorizes a monument honoring Justice Clarence Thomas to be placed within the Nathan Deal Judicial Center, designed and procured by the Capitol Art Standards Commission but subject to final approval by a special monument committee made up of House, Senate, and gubernatorial appointees. That committee dissolves once the monument is placed. No state money can be used for the Thomas monument; only private gifts and donations may pay for it, and it cannot go up until the state secures any needed intellectual property license. The bill also creates a new Code section requiring markers commemorating Revolutionary War patriots on the grounds of the state capitol and outside the state archives building, tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States. Placement is subject to approval by the Capitol Art Standards Commission for the capitol grounds and the Board of Regents for the archives grounds, and no public funds may be spent on designing or procuring these markers either.

• Adds a new duty for the Capitol Art Standards Commission to oversee design, procurement, and placement of a monument honoring Justice Clarence Thomas.
• Creates a monument committee of legislators and gubernatorial appointees who must give final approval before the Thomas monument is placed, then the committee dissolves.
• Bars public funds from being spent on designing or procuring the Thomas monument, allowing only private gifts and donations.
• Requires markers honoring Revolutionary War patriots to be placed on the state capitol grounds and outside the state archives building, marking the nation's 250th anniversary.
• Assigns approval of the Revolutionary War markers' placement to the Capitol Art Standards Commission (capitol grounds) and the Board of Regents (archives grounds).
• Bars public funds from being spent on designing or procuring the Revolutionary War Patriots markers.

The Capitol Art Standards Commission, the Board of Regents, and legislative and gubernatorial appointees who serve on the monument committee are directly affected, along with private donors who would fund the Thomas monument and the markers, since no state money may be used.

Georgians would see a new monument to Justice Clarence Thomas at the Nathan Deal Judicial Center and new historical markers at the capitol and state archives, all paid for by private donations rather than taxpayer funds, with legislative appointees controlling final approval of the Thomas monument's design.

• Section 1 adds a duty to O.C.G.A. § 45-13-71 giving the Capitol Art Standards Commission responsibility for the Thomas monument's design, procurement, and placement.
• Section 2 creates new O.C.G.A. § 50-3-140, authorizing the Thomas monument within the Nathan Deal Judicial Center, subject to funding availability.
• Section 2 establishes a monument committee of two House members, two Senate members, and one gubernatorial appointee from each chamber to give final approval, which dissolves once the monument is placed.
• Section 2 bars public funds for the Thomas monument's design or procurement, permitting only private gifts, and requires any necessary intellectual property license before placement.
• Section 2 creates new O.C.G.A. § 50-3-150, requiring Revolutionary War Patriots markers at the state capitol grounds and outside the state archives building tied to the nation's 250th anniversary.
• Section 2 assigns placement approval for the Revolutionary War markers to the Capitol Art Standards Commission for the capitol grounds and the Board of Regents for the archives grounds, with no public funds for design or procurement.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-10Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
3. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
4. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)
5. 2025-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
6. 2025-03-28Senate Recommitted (Senate)
7. 2025-03-21Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2025-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)

• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)Primary sponsor
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
• Katie Dempsey (R, HD-013)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 27, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 11 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #104

• state capitol monuments
• Clarence Thomas monument
• Revolutionary War markers
• Capitol Art Standards Commission
• state archives