HCS HB 896 -- STATE PARK BOARD

SPONSOR:  Kelly, 144 (Mayer)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Corrections and State Institutions by a vote of 6 to 4.

This substitute establishes the Missouri State Park Board within
the Department of Natural Resources as the authority for all
matters pertaining to the state park system.  The board will
consist of eight members, six will reside in separate
congressional districts and at least two members will be from
counties with a state historic site of significant importance to
military history.  Members will be appointed by the Governor,
with approval of the Senate, and serve three-year staggered
terms.  The director of the department will serve as the chair
with a tie-breaking vote, and the executive director of the State
Historical Society will be an ex-officio member.  The board will
meet at least twice annually.  Members will serve without
compensation, but will be reimbursed for necessary expenses.

The board will hold public meetings on any addition,
modification, or removal of military monuments, historical
markers, designated veteran's grave markers, accepted practices,
or permitted public ceremonies on department sites; maintain a
registry of monuments and markers on public and private property;
establish procedures for the historical marker program; and
publish an annual report.

The bill also prohibits any state agency from erecting,
modifying, or removing any monument or marker or amending any
accepted practice or permitted public ceremony at a department
site without notifying the public at least 60 days prior to any
planned action, holding a hearing, and receiving approval from
the board.  Any monuments or markers that were in place on
December 21, 2002, must be replaced by August 28, 2004.
Monuments may be moved to surrounding property or to accommodate
construction or repairs.  Anyone who removes, defaces, or
destroys any monument, memorial, or designated veteran's grave
marker is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that there is a due process issue
regarding the erection, removal, or name change of historic
monuments and markers.  There have been instances where historic
markers have been removed, battle flags taken down, and name
changes made on state buildings without any input from interested
parties or the public at large.  These decisions should not be
made by a few people behind closed doors and there should be an
opportunity for people to discuss their concerns in an open
forum.  By allowing this to happen, we are losing our history,
and it is very important not to censor the past.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Mayer and Kuessner;
Bruce Hillis; Historic Preservation Society of Louisiana; Albert
Malone; and Missouri First.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill gave informational
testimony to the committee.

Others testifying on the bill were Missouri Parks Association;
and Department of Natural Resources.

Bob Dominique, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 23, 2004 at 11:14 am