Virginians,

Senate Bill 631 was introduced yesterday into the General Assembly by Senator Frederick M. Quayle, Republican-Suffolk. SB 631 provides that no monument or memorial erected on public property of the Commonwealth or any locality shall be relocated, removed, or altered and no street, bridge, structure, park, preserve or reserve or other public area of the Commonwealth or any locality that has been dedicated to the memory of or named for any historic figure or event may be renamed or rededicated unless a public hearing has been held by either the Department of General Services (DGS) or the locality, depending on where the monument or dedicated public area is located.

This bill is a modified version of our past memorial protection bills. For the past three years, we have faced extreme opposition from local government lobbyists, the Department of Transportation, Department of Historic Resources, and other groups who opposed our complete prohibition of localities to rename or alter historic monuments, streets, etc. In this bill though, we require notice of at least 30 days of a hearing before a locality or the state tries to remove, relocate, or change such a memorial. Secondly, this bill goes even further than our current monument & memorial protection laws as it protects streets, bridges, parks, preserves, or reserves named after a historic figure. This is our first step, but a very important one, in putting a stop to the renaming or relocating of our most sacred memorials for good. Had we had this when the Richmond City Council changed the names of the JEB Stuart and Stonewall Jackson Bridges in Richmond, it would have forced the City to hold public hearings specifically about the name change, and would not have allowed them to brush the public aside from debate of this issue.

Besides the efforts fo the SCV, HPA, and other Southern Heritage Groups, this bill is being supported by the Virginia State American Legion thanks to the help of Compatriot George Lee, and was sponsored by Senator Quayle through the efforts of Brig. Gen. Hank Morris of Portsmouth. Our thanks to both of these gentlemen for their help!

Now, what can you do?

We must encourage our elected officials in the Senate to SUPPORT Senate Bill 631. Below, I have listed the members and contact information for the Committee on General Laws. Please check and see if your Senator is on this list, and call or e-mail them and the other members. The politicians only understand numbers, and when the e-mails and phone calls begin to pour into their offices supporting Historic Monument & Memorial protection it will make a difference! If your legislator is not on this Committee, still contact all of the the committee members as concerned Virginians and Southerners. With your help, this Resolution will pass the Committee and you will be given the chance to encourage your local Senator to support this Resolution in the full Senate. It only takes a few minutes to type an e-mail or make a phone call, so I urge you to call all of the Rules Committee members as soon as possible. Here's how...

Call the Constituent Viewpoint Hotline, it's toll free!

1-800-889-0229

Call & E-Mail the fifteen members of the Senate General Laws Committee:

* Senator Walter A. Stosch, Chairman of the Committee, and Majority Leader
Republican (District 12 - Goochland County (Part); Henrico County (Part); Richmond City (Part)
(804) 698-7512
district12@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Charles J. Colgan
Democrat (District 29 - Manassas City (All); Manassas Park City (All); Prince William County (Part)
(804) 698-7529
district29@sov.state.va.us

* Senator R. Edward Houck
Democrat (District 17 - Culpeper County (All); Fredericksburg City (Part); Louisa County (All); Madison County (All); Orange County (All); Spotsylvania County (Part)
(804) 698-7517
district17@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Benjamin J. Lambert, III
Democrat (District 9 - Charles City County (All); Henrico County (Part); Richmond City (Part)
(804) 698-7509
district09@sov.state.va.us

* Senator William C. Wampler, Jr.
Republican (District 40 - Bristol City (All); Grayson County (Part); Lee County (All); Norton City (All); Scott County (All); Smyth County (Part); Washington County (All); Wise County (Part)
(804) 698-7540
district40@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Yvonne B. Miller
Democrat (District 5 - Chesapeake City (Part); Norfolk City (Part); Virginia Beach City (Part)
(804) 698-7505
district05@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Charles R. Hawkins, Patron of the Confederate History & Heritage Month Resolution
Republican (District 19 - Campbell County (Part); Danville City (All); Franklin County (All); Pittsylvania County (All)
(804) 698-7519
district19@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Stephen H. Martin
Republican (District 11 - Chesterfield County (Part); Colonial Heights City (All)
(804) 698-7511
district11@sov.state.va.us

* Senator William "Bill" Bolling, Candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
Republican (District 4 - Caroline County (All); Essex County (All); Hanover County (All); King and Queen County (All); King William County (All); Middlesex County (All); Spotsylvania County (Part)
(804) 698-7504
district04@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr.
Republican (District 15 - Amherst County (Part); Appomattox County (All); Brunswick County (Part); Buckingham County (Part); Charlotte County (All); Cumberland County (Part); Fluvanna County (All); Halifax County (All); Lunenburg County (Part); Mecklenburg County (All); Prince Edward County (All)
(804) 698-7515
district15@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Frank W. Wagner
Republican (District 7 - Virginia Beach City (Part)
(804) 698-7507
district07@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Jay O'Brien
Republican (District 39 - Fairfax County (Part); Prince William County (Part)
(804) 698-7539
district39@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Jay Brandon Bell, II
Republican (District 22 - Botetourt County (All); Montgomery County (Part); Radford City (All); Roanoke County (Part); Salem City (All)
(804) 698-7522
district22@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Jeannemarie Devolites
Republican (District 34 - Fairfax City (All); Fairfax County (Part)
(804) 698-7534
district34@sov.state.va.us

* Senator Mamie Locke
Democrat (District 2 - Hampton City (Part); Newport News City (Part); Portsmouth City (Part); Suffolk City (Part)
(804) 698-7502
district02@sov.state.va.us

Time is of the essence here, so let's show the Senate General Laws Committee that we support Monument and Memorial Protection in Virginia! As more information concerning this Resolution is made available, it will be passed on. Keep the heat on these legislators and feel free to pass this message on to all concerned Virginians!

Sic Semper Tyrannis,

Fred D. Taylor
Virginia State President
Heritage Preservation Association
vahpa@att.net
757-537-7495