Senate Bill No. 317 proposes amendments to the Government Code regarding the removal, relocation, alteration, or construction of monuments and memorials on public property in Texas. The bill introduces new provisions that allow for the construction of monuments or memorials that honor historical events or figures, and it specifies that monuments or memorials on state property that have been in place for at least 25 years can only be altered or removed with a two-thirds legislative approval. For those less than 25 years old, changes can be made by the governing body of the state agency that erected them. Additionally, the bill establishes that municipalities and counties must seek voter approval for similar actions regarding their monuments or memorials.

Furthermore, the bill includes a new chapter in the Local Government Code that outlines the process for filing complaints against municipalities or counties that violate the provisions regarding monuments and memorials. If a complaint is validated, the Attorney General can seek legal remedies, including civil penalties for intentional violations. The penalties range from $1,000 to $1,500 for the first violation and from $25,000 to $25,500 for subsequent violations, with each day of continued violation counting as a separate offense. The bill also waives sovereign immunity for the state and governmental immunity for local entities in relation to these civil penalties.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 442.015, Government Code 2166.5011, Subtitle C, Title , Local Government Code 61.003 (Government Code 2166, Government Code 442, Subtitle C, Title , Local Government Code 61)
Senate Committee Report: Government Code 442.015, Government Code 2166.5011, Subtitle C, Title , Local Government Code 61.003 (Government Code 2166, Government Code 442, Subtitle C, Title , Local Government Code 61)