The 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. It highlights the historical significance of these districts as 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 intent to commemorate this achievement and establishes a dedicated fund, the Charleston and Fayetteville Desegregation Memorial Monument Fund, to support the erection and maintenance of the monument.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to include the new fund among those from which the Secretary of State can draw for the maintenance and upkeep of specific monuments on the Capitol grounds. It mandates that the Secretary of State oversee the monument's design and placement, ensuring it is situated alongside other monuments. The bill also allows for the acceptance of gifts, grants, and donations to support the fund, thereby facilitating community involvement in commemorating this important historical event.

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