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HB 254GEORGIASession 2025_26State Billdead

Did Not Advance

Georgia bill requires monuments honoring Justice Clarence Thomas and Revolutionary War patriots using private donations

Original title: State government; provide placement of Revolutionary War Patriots marker on state capitol building grounds and state archives building grounds

Last action · March 10, 2026: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By SubstituteSponsors: Debbie Buckner and 5 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Georgia House Bill 254 mandates the placement of a monument honoring the Honorable Clarence Thomas inside the Nathan Deal Judicial Center and Revolutionary War Patriots markers on the grounds of the state capitol and state archives. The legislation relies exclusively on private gifts and donations rather than public funds for design and procurement.

Why it matters

Establishes permanent historical displays on state property without drawing on taxpayer funds, overseen by specific state commissions and legislative committees.

Background

The Capitol Art Standards Commission is an official state body in Georgia tasked with regulating artwork, monuments, and displays on state capitol grounds and within state buildings. context
The Nathan Deal Judicial Center is a state building in Atlanta that houses the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Court of Appeals of Georgia. context

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Capitol Art Standards Commission

Assumes new duties to oversee the design, procurement, placement, and funding acceptance for the Clarence Thomas monument.

Directly affected

Board of Regents

Must review and approve the placement location of the Revolutionary War Patriots marker outside the state archives building.

Key Facts

Requires a monument honoring the Honorable Clarence Thomas to be placed within the Nathan Deal Judicial Center.
Mandates markers commemorating Revolutionary War patriots and the 250th anniversary of the United States on the state capitol grounds and outside the state archives building.
Prohibits the expenditure of public funds for the design or procurement of both the Clarence Thomas monument and the Revolutionary War Patriots markers.
Requires the Capitol Art Standards Commission to accept and expend private gifts and donations from individuals, organizations, or foundations for the Clarence Thomas monument.

Show all 7 facts

Establishes a temporary monument committee composed of five General Assembly members appointed by legislative leadership and the Governor to provide final approval for the Clarence Thomas monument.
Conditions the placement of the Clarence Thomas monument on the state being granted any necessary intellectual property licenses.
Requires approval from the Board of Regents for the placement of the Revolutionary War Patriots marker on the grounds outside the state archives building.

Frequently Asked Questions

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News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the House · in Senate committee.

Procedural history

15 actions

Mar 10, 2026SenateCommittee
Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
Jan 12, 2026Senate
Senate Taken from Table
Jan 12, 2026Senate
Senate Recommitted
Apr 2, 2025Senate
Senate Tabled
Mar 31, 2025SenateCommittee
Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
Mar 28, 2025Senate
Senate Recommitted

Show 9 earlier actions

Mar 21, 2025Senate
Senate Read Second Time
Mar 20, 2025SenateCommittee
Senate Committee Favorably Reported
Feb 28, 2025SenateIntroduced
Senate Read and Referred
Feb 27, 2025House
House Third Readers
Feb 27, 2025HouseFloor
House Passed/Adopted
Feb 20, 2025HouseCommittee
House Committee Favorably Reported
Feb 6, 2025House
House Second Readers
Feb 5, 2025HouseIntroduced
House First Readers
Feb 4, 2025HouseIntroduced
House Hopper

Version history & redline

5 versions on file

Comparing LC 39 4537/a → Sen Ctee Sub LC 39 5054S

removed addedOfficial text

25 26 LC 39 4537 House Bill 254 By: Representatives Buckner of the 137th , Greene of the 154th , Hagan of the 156 th , Camp of the 135th , and Dempsey of 5054S The Senate Committee on Rules offered the 13th following substitute to HB 254: A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 2 of Article 4 of Chapter 13 of Title 45 and Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Capitol Art Standards Commission and state flag, seal, and other symbols, respectively, so as to provide for duties and responsibilities of the commission; to provide for the placement of a monument in honor of the Honorable Clarence Thomas within the Nathan Deal Judicial Center; to provide for placement of a Revolutionary War Patriots marker upon the grounds of the state capitol building and upon the grounds of the state archives building; to provide for […] to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Part 2 of Article 4 of Chapter 13 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Capitol Art Standards Commission, is amended in Code Section 45-13-71, relating to duties and responsibilities of commission, by adding a new paragraph to read as follows: "(5.1) To oversee the design, procurement, and placement of a monument honoring the Honorable Clarence Thomas pursuant to Code Section 50-3-140;" SECTION 2. Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state flag, seal, and other symbols, is amended by adding a two new article articles to read as follows: "ARTICLE 8 50-3-130. 9 50-3-140. (a) Subject to the availability of funds, there shall be placed within the Nathan Deal Judicial Center a monument honoring the Honorable Clarence Thomas. (b)(1) Such monument shall be designed, procured, and placed by the Capitol Art Standards Commission, subject to final approval by a monument committee composed of the following members of the General Assembly: (A) Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (B) Two members of the Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and (C) One member from each house of the General Assembly appointed by the Governor. (2) The monument committee established pursuant to this subsection shall stand abolished upon placement of such monument. (c) No public funds shall be expended for the design or procurement of such monument. Gifts and donations from private individuals, organizations, or foundations shall be accepted and expended by the Capitol Art Standards Commission to carry out the requirements of this Code section. (d) Such monument shall be procured and placed as soon as practicable but not before the state has been granted any intellectual property license necessary for the purposes of this Code section. ARTICLE 10 50-3-150. (a) There shall be placed upon the grounds of the state capitol building and upon the grounds outside the state archives building a marker which […] the design or procurement of the markers provided for in this Code section. Each such marker shall be placed as soon as practicable." SECTION 2. 3. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Reliance on Private Financing for State Monuments

The legislation establishes a strict prohibition against using public funds for the monuments, transferring financial reliance entirely to private donations.

Capitol Art Standards Commission

Connected Entities

Board of Regents, Nathan Deal Judicial Center, General Assembly and 2 more

OrganizationBoard of Regents“Approves placement of the Revolutionary War Patriots marker at the state archive”Map →

locationNathan Deal Judicial Center“Location designated for the monument honoring Clarence Thomas”Map →

OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Appoints members to the monument committee”Map →

OrganizationCapitol Art Standards Commission“Oversees design, procurement, and placement of monuments”Map →

PersonClarence Thomas“Honored with a monument within the Nathan Deal Judicial Center”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.legis.ga.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 35)
Controversy45
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

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