Florida Democrat Wants A Slavery Memorial In The State

Miami, Florida Representative, Kionne L. McGhee (D) is sponsoring a bill entitled Florida Slavery Memorial (HB 27).

If approved the memorial will be placed on the premises of the Capitol Complex and will be constructed by the Department of Management Services who will provide conditions for construction of the memorial on the effective date which is July 1, 2017.

The proposed bill states:

265.006 Florida Slavery Memorial. —

(1) It is the intent of the Legislature to recognize the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the American Colonies and to honor the nameless and forgotten men, women, and children who have gone unrecognized for their undeniable and weighty

contributions to the United States.

(2) There is established the Florida Slavery Memorial.

(a) The memorial is administered by the Department of Management Services.

(b) The Department of Management Services shall set aside an appropriate public area for the memorial on the premises of the Capitol Complex, as defined in s. 281.01, not including the State Capital Circle Office Complex. The department shall

construct and place the Florida Slavery Memorial after it has considered the recommendations of the Florida Historical Commission as required pursuant to ss. 265.111 and 267.0612(9)and coordinated with the Division of Historical Resources of the Department of State regarding the design and placement of the memorial.