Bill > HJR15

This joint resolution aims to return a granite Ten Commandments monument to the New State Capitol grounds in Kentucky, which was originally donated by the Fraternal Order of Eagles in 1971 and previously removed due to legal challenges. The resolution cites several recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have shifted legal interpretation regarding religious displays, suggesting that previous legal obstacles to displaying the monument are no longer valid. Specifically, the Historic Properties Advisory Commission is directed to retrieve the monument from the Fraternal Order of Eagles' Hopkinsville chapter and place it in Monument Park within 180 days, with the requirement to maintain it as a permanent display. If future legal challenges prevent the monument's continued display, the Commission must return it to the Fraternal Order of Eagles. The resolution emphasizes the historical significance of the Ten Commandments in American legal and cultural heritage, drawing on Supreme Court opinions that recognize such monuments as commemorative and reflective of the nation's historical practices. Notably, the Fraternal Order of Eagles will not bear any costs associated with the monument's retrieval, display, or potential future return.

Government Affairs

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25RS/hjr15.html