Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday signed a bill that will require state officials to create and issue a special license plate for the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.
Standing in front of a monument at the state Capitol commemorating the nine black students who desegregated the high school in 1957, the Republican governor said the license plate "symbolizes and it marks the culmination of seven decades of progress that we have made in the state of Arkansas."
"I'm unbelievably proud that I get to be here today and as a proud Central High graduate get to sign into law something that marks the progress of our state," Sanders said during the news conference.
The Little Rock Nine started their first full day at the high school under escort by federal troops Sept. 25, 1957.
A few weeks before, the students were barred from entering the school by angry white protesters and the Arkansas National Guard. By sending Guard members to block the students' entry, former Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus defied a federal court order and sparked a crisis that drew national attention.
House Bill 1485, now Act 808, was sponsored by Central High School alumni Rep. Denise Jones Ennett and Sen. Clarke Tucker, both Democrats from Little Rock.
While speaking at the news conference, Ennett said if it weren't for the Little Rock Nine, "I would not be here in front of you today."
"Because of their bold and brave actions, they helped make the world a more tolerant and accepting place," she said.
Tucker said the nine students endured months of public ridicule, in many cases from their peers, during the desegregation crisis.
"Their heroism changed the world not only for young black kids to be able to go to school, but it also transformed the educational experience and the lives of people like myself," he said.
Tucker noted that Little Rock Central High School also has historically been recognized for its academics, athletics and architectural beauty.
Nancy Rousseau, principal of the high school, said creating a special license plate for the school marks an item off her bucket list.
"We're very excited about continuing the legacy of excellence at Central High School," she said.
Along with creating the special license plate, the act establishes an exemption to a state law limiting the number of special license plate types the state may issue.
Under current law, state officials must repeal or discontinue an existing type before creating a new one.
Act 808 exempts from this requirement special license plates created for "an area of historical significance located in Arkansas that is officially designated by the United States Congress as a 'National Historic Site,' including without limitation the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site."
After the bill passed the House on a vote of 73-10, some senators raised concerns that the measure could inspire future workarounds to the state's process for issuing special plates and questioned why areas designated as National Historic Sites should receive an exemption.
While presenting the bill in the Senate, Tucker pointed to Little Rock Central High School's legacy, saying it deserved the exemption. He noted that Congress has designated only seven National Historic Sites in Arkansas. On April 5, the bill failed to clear the Senate on a 10-9 vote with six lawmakers voting present and seven non-voting.
"We put it off for a day and we were going to vote on it the next afternoon, and that morning I had a number of my colleagues in the Senate come up to me and say, 'Clarke, you need to know that I have not personally been lobbied by the governor once this entire legislative session until this morning,'" Tucker said during Tuesday's news conference.
On the afternoon of April 6, the Senate sent the bill to Sanders' desk with a 21-6 vote.
Under the act, the license plate will be designed by the state Department of Finance and Administration in consultation with the Tiger Foundation, a nonprofit public charity created to support the high school.
A driver looking to receive one of the special plates will have to pay $25 to cover the design-use contribution and a handling and administrative fee of $10.
Each month, state officials will remit the design-use contribution to the Tiger Foundation to "broaden the support and resources for Little Rock Central High School with a focus on academics, the arts, citizenship and athletics." While presenting the bill, Tucker noted that the Tiger Foundation would have to spend roughly $20,000 to establish the special license plate.
The handling and administrative fee under the bill will be deposited into the State Central Services Fund.