This bill aims to amend Arkansas law to facilitate the placement of a monument on the State Capitol grounds in recognition of the desegregation of the Charleston and Fayetteville School Districts in 1954. The General Assembly acknowledges that these districts were the first to desegregate schools in the former Confederate States of America, following the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. The bill outlines the historical context of this achievement, including the peaceful integration efforts and the challenges faced by the districts during this period.

To support the establishment of the monument, the bill creates the Charleston and Fayetteville Desegregation Memorial Monument Fund, which will consist of gifts, grants, and donations specifically for this purpose. It also amends existing laws regarding the Arkansas Capitol Grounds Monument and Memorial Preservation Fund to include this new fund. The Secretary of State is tasked with overseeing the monument's design and placement, ensuring it is situated among other monuments on the Capitol grounds.

Statutes affected:
SB 489: 19-5-1125(e)
Act 950: 19-5-1125(e)