Rep. Joshua Bryant seeks statutory authority for Capitol monuments upkeep

Representative Joshua Bryant (District 32) told the Senate State Agencies Committee he introduced legislation to create a statutory path for maintaining state monuments on the Capitol grounds, using a combination of private donations and state funds.

Bryant said the current pattern — where a commission raises seed money, builds a monument and then dissolves — leaves no statutory authority for ongoing upkeep. “Why isn't the state handling this?” he said, arguing the secretary of state's office needs explicit authority to perform “maintenance, repair, alterations and additions, or reconstruction” when monuments on the Capitol grounds require work.

Senator Flowers asked whether private contributions could be dedicated to a single monument; Bryant said yes and pointed to language in the bill that lists funds available for specific memorials. Michael Harry, managing attorney for the secretary of state and chair of the Capital Arts and Grounds Commission, clarified that the bill applies to monuments under the commission's purview on the Capitol grounds and does not extend the secretary of state's authority to state monuments located elsewhere.

Bryant closed by urging committee members to visit the Capitol grounds and judge for themselves the need for ongoing upkeep. The committee voted to advance the bill, with a motion by Senator Payton and a second by Senator Tucker; the chair announced the bill passed out of committee by voice vote.

The bill will move to the next committee of the Senate or to the Senate floor according to chamber procedure.