The Arkansas Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday advanced a bill that would require the secretary of state to permit and arrange the placement on the state Capitol grounds of a suitable monument commemorating "unborn children aborted" during the era of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling under Roe vs. Wade.
With Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, dissenting, the Senate committee sent Senate Bill 307 by Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, to the full Senate.
If enacted, the measure would be known as the "Monument to Unborn Children Display Act." The bill also would create a state trust fund to be known as the Monument to Unborn Children Display Act Fund.
The fund would consist of gifts, grants and donations from individuals and organizations as provided under the bill and other funds as may be provided by law, and would be used only for erecting and maintaining the monument.
[PHOTO GALLERY: Submissions for monument commemorating unborn children]
The Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission would oversee the selection of the artist and design of the monument with input from pro-life groups under the bill, and the secretary of state would have final approval of the selection of the artist and design of the monument selected by the commission before any construction begins.
Upon approval of the artist and design, the secretary of state would be required to arrange for the construction, placement and dedication of the monument on the state Capitol grounds by private entities at no expense to the state under the bill.
If the legality or constitutionality of the monument is challenged in court, the attorney general may either prepare and present a legal defense of the monument, or request that a private law firm serve as counsel to prepare and present a legal defense of the monument under the bill.