Bill > LD1648

This bill seeks to replace the existing statues of Hannibal Hamlin and William King in the National Statuary Hall Collection with statues of Margaret Chase Smith and Joshua Chamberlain, two prominent Maine historical figures. By October 1, 2025, the Maine Arts Commission, Maine State Museum Commission, and Maine Historic Preservation Commission will request approval from the Congressional Joint Committee on the Library to make this change. Within one year of approval, these commissions will work to replace the statues and relocate the original statues of Hamlin and King to be displayed within or on the grounds of the State House. The commissions are authorized to accept private gifts, grants, and donations to fund the statue replacement and transportation costs, and they can contract with entities to complete this task. The bill also provides a small allocation of $500 per fiscal year from other special revenue funds to support this initiative, ensuring that funds can be expended if received from private or public sources.

Education

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1648&snum=132