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Committees approve Option 9B for Billy Frank Jr. statue placement in Legislative Building
Summary
The State Capitol Committee and CDAC voted to place a replica Billy Frank Jr. statue under Option 9b after DES presented structural and access options; the committees approved the recommendation by voice vote to avoid further delay.
The State Capitol Committee (SCC) and the Capital Campus Design Advisory Committee voted to adopt Option 9b for the placement of a Billy Frank Jr. replica inside the Legislative Building.
Chair Beau Perschbacher recommended the option and urged prompt action "to avoid further delay," saying he had consulted legislators and the Frank family before the vote. "I think 9 b is is the right option," Perschbacher said, and the committees moved to a voice vote that adopted the recommendation.
DES staff presented multiple siting alternatives for the Billy Frank Jr. statue and explained the trade-offs. DES noted the Marcus Whitman statue weighs about 9,000 pounds while the Billy Frank Jr. replica is roughly 2,500 pounds; some 3rd-floor placements would be accessible only by tour or special event while certain 2nd-floor options would be viewable by the public. DES also described a 12-inch removable base alternative intended to spread weight without invasive structural floor work.
Lieutenant Governor Jenny Hack praised the presentation but cautioned the federal Speaker's Office controls the National Statuary Hall dedication schedule in Washington, D.C. "The actual date of the ceremony in National Statuary Hall ... is 100% the decision of the speaker's office in Washington DC," Hack said, noting the D.C. schedule remained TBD.
The committees recorded identical results: SCC adopted Option 9b by voice vote, and CDAC voted to recommend Option 9b to the Legislature per its procedures. DES and committee members noted installation could begin as early as November–December 2026 with a latest desirable installation by March 2027, subject to logistical scheduling and the remaining implementation budget.
