1 SJR10
2 206959-3
3 By Senators Orr, Albritton, Allen, Barfoot, Beasley, Butler,
4 Chambliss, Chesteen, Coleman-Madison, Dunn, Elliott, Figures,
5 Givhan, Gudger, Holley, Jones, Livingston, Marsh, McClendon,
6 Melson, Price, Reed, Roberts, Sanders-Fortier, Scofield,
7 Sessions, Shelnutt, Singleton, Smitherman, Stutts, Waggoner,
8 Whatley and Williams
9 RFD:
10 First Read: 02-FEB-21
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1 SJR10
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3
4 ENROLLED, SJR10,
5 JOINT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE ALABAMA USA
6 SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL COMMISSION.
7
8 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH
9 HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING:
10 (a) There is created the Alabama USA
11 Semiquincentennial Commission. The principal purpose of the
12 commission shall be to plan, promote, and implement where
13 appropriate public celebrations and commemorations of the
14 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July
15 4, 2026, and of the 250th Anniversary of the United States of
16 America.
17 (b) The commission is authorized to cooperate with
18 the United States Semiquincentennial Commission created by
19 Public Law 114-196, other national and state organizations
20 engaged in commemoration and celebration of the United States
21 Semiquincentennial, and other national, regional, state, and
22 local public and private organizations having compatible
23 purposes. It shall encourage various state agencies and
24 organizations to work cooperatively to promote the
25 Semiquincentennial.
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1 (c) The commission shall consider promoting and
2 encouraging as part of its celebratory and commemorative
3 events, electronic media, printed products, symposia, and
4 educational outreach all of the following:
5 (1) Awareness and understanding of the principles of
6 the Declaration of Independence, of the winning of American
7 independence in the American Revolutionary War, and of the
8 establishment of America's system of constitutional
9 self-government.
10 (2) Teaching students and increasing public
11 knowledge and appreciation of the breadth of American history
12 and the centuries-long quest for "liberty and justice for
13 all." This includes sharing the stories and contributions of
14 the various people who have populated the land, from
15 indigenous peoples, explorers, British colonists, seekers of
16 religious freedom, enslaved African Americans, and many others
17 who are part of America's stories.
18 (3) Advancing the cause of liberty and American
19 self-government and of the meaning of "E Pluribus Unum" ("From
20 many, one"), through promoting civic knowledge and practice,
21 including America's "Charters of Freedom" (the Declaration of
22 Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights), and
23 the constitutional features of self-government which emphasize
24 the roles of active and engaged good citizens.
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1 (4) Emphasizing the service and sacrifices of
2 veterans of all generations who have secured and preserved
3 American independence and freedom and encouraging Alabamians
4 to honor them through our State's Veterans Register of Honor.
5 (5) Celebratory and commemorative events and
6 activities throughout the State of Alabama and its sixty-seven
7 counties and its many municipalities. The American Village
8 campus of the Citizenship Trust ("Trust") chartered pursuant
9 to Section 16-44A-30 et seq., Code of Alabama 1975, is
10 designated as an Alabama "celebration capitol" of the
11 commission and a national and regional welcome and education
12 center for the United States Semiquincentennial.
13 (d) Membership of the commission shall consist of
14 eleven voting members as follows:
15 (1) The Governor of Alabama who shall serve as
16 Honorary Chair of the commission.
17 (2) Two members appointed by the Lieutenant
18 Governor.
19 (3) Two members appointed by the President Pro
20 Tempore of the Senate and two members appointed by the Speaker
21 of the House of Representatives.
22 (4) Two members who are Alabamians serving on the
23 United States Semiquincentennial Commission as certified by
24 the executive officer of that commission.
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1 (5) Two citizens at large, appointed by the
2 Governor.
3 (6) Members shall serve for the life of the
4 commission, provided any public official's expiration of his
5 or her term shall create a vacancy, and all vacancies shall be
6 filled in the same manner as originally appointed.
7 (e) The appointing authorities shall coordinate
8 their appointments so that diversity of gender, race, and
9 geographical areas is reflective of the makeup of this state.
10 (f)(1) The commission shall elect its chair, vice
11 chair and any other officers it deems necessary and shall
12 adopt its rules for establishment of a quorum and conduct of
13 business.
14 (2) Commission members shall serve without
15 compensation or expenses, but legislative members may receive
16 legislative expenses.
17 (3) The chair, with concurrence of the commission,
18 may designate the chief executive officer of an agency or
19 non-profit organization created or chartered by legislative
20 act, or another qualified individual, to serve as the
21 executive officer and secretary of the commission. The
22 executive officer shall serve without additional compensation
23 but may be reimbursed for expenses as provided for state
24 employees. He or she shall exercise such powers delegated by
25 the commission, including the right to apply for, receive,
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1 accept, deposit, and administer pursuant to commission
2 authorization any federal, state, or local public or private
3 funds given for express use by the commission for the
4 Semiquincentennial.
5 (4) No elected public official serving on the
6 commission shall be involved in soliciting any private funds
7 or gifts for the commission.
8 (g) The chair of the commission, with concurrence of
9 the commission, shall constitute one or more advisory
10 committees to advise the commission. The committees may
11 include such representatives as the respective executive
12 officer or his or her designee of any of the following: The
13 Alabama Department of Archives and History, the Alabama
14 Department of Tourism, the Alabama Department of Education,
15 the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, the Alabama
16 Community College System, the Alabama Department of Economic
17 Development, the Alabama Department of Military Affairs, the
18 Alabama Historical Commission, or the Alabama Department of
19 Veterans Affairs; and representatives of presidents of
20 Alabama's public colleges and universities, Alabama's
21 historically black colleges and universities, community
22 colleges, and various associations and organizations of city
23 and county officials, state historical, educational,
24 patriotic, civic, religious, military and veterans
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1 organizations, and community improvement and other
2 organizations.
3 (h) The commission shall make an annual written
4 report and make any recommendations to the Governor and
5 Legislature at least thirty days prior to the convening of
6 each Regular Session of the Legislature, commencing in 2021
7 and continuing through its final report in 2027. The
8 commission shall consider and recommend ways for the state to
9 commemorate the Semiquincentennial through state and local
10 legacy projects for the state at large and for counties and
11 municipalities, and ways to enhance educational programs and
12 extended learning offered by local boards of education, the
13 Department of Education, Citizenship Trust, relevant state
14 agencies and departments, two and four year institutions of
15 higher education, including historically black colleges and
16 universities.
17 (i) The commission and its advisory committees shall
18 be dissolved upon the adjournment of the Regular Session in
19 2027.
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1
2
3
4 President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
5
6 Speaker of the House of Representatives
7 SJR10
8 Senate 02-FEB-21
9 I hereby certify that the within Senate Joint Resolution
10 originated in and was adopted by the Senate.
11
12 Patrick Harris,
13 Secretary.
14
15
16
17 House of Representatives
18 Adopted: 11-FEB-21
19
20
21 By: Senator Orr
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Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-44A-30
Enrolled: 16-44A-30