Rep. Hutchinson Introduces Legislation to Prohibit Confederate and Pro-Slavery Memorabilia and Symbols from Public Property

ATLANTA – State Representative Shelly Hutchinson (D-Snellville) recently introduced House bills 1211 and 1212, legislation which would prohibit confederate and certain slavery-related memorabilia and symbols from public or state property in Georgia.

“I cannot stand idly by as our state continues to glorify those who fought and died to protect slavery in our country,” said Rep. Hutchinson. “Confederate monuments and flags are extremely damaging to our state. These bills would end this idolization of the Confederacy while allowing our citizens to remember the true meaning behind these symbols in the appropriate environments, such as civil war museums.”

House Bill 1212 would prohibit the display of monuments, memorials, plaques, markers or memorabilia related to the Confederate States of America, slave owners or persons who advocated for slavery on public property except for museums and Civil War battlefields. It would not provide a right of action or waive sovereign immunity regarding any claim of injury or damage arising from the removal of a privately owned monument, plaque, marker, memorial or memorabilia from public property. Additionally, HB 1212 would limit the purpose of the Stone Mountain Memorial Association; it would remove the association’s purpose of working to maintain memorials for the Confederacy.

Rep. Hutchinson also introduced House Bill 1211, which would remove protections for confederate flags, seals, banners and other commemorative symbols from Georgia’s laws.

For more information on HB 1212, please click here.

For more information on HB 1211, please click here.

To read a recent article regarding Rep. Hutchinson’s legislation, please click here.

 

Representative Shelly Hutchinson represents the citizens of District 107, which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Health & Human Services and Juvenile Justice committees.

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