Pre-filed to repeal monument preservation act.
Pres Act Bill
This morning - one state lawmaker is working to repeal the "alabama memorial preservation act."
The law prohibits cities and counties from re- locating or removing monuments more than 40 years old.
It's the legislation that the attorney general says made the relocation of madison county's confederate monument illegal!
This is video from the night it was moved in late october.
Four days ago - the a-g announced a lawsuit against the county commission over the decision.
Waay 31's ashley carter joins us live now with what we know about the situation right now.
The pre-filed bill has multiple parts.
First - it would authorize a county or city to move any monument on public property under its jurisdication.
Second - it would repeal the alabama memorial preservation act of 2017.
Right now - the madison county commission is facing the possibility of a 25-thousand dollar fine after moving the confederate monument from downtown huntsville to maple hill cemetery.
No members of the commission have commented publicly since the lawsuit was announced.
Previously - attorney general steve marshall said any elected officials who move monuments without the state's permission have done so illegally.
He says if elected officials disagree with the law .... they can work with legislators to change it .... which is now what representative juandalynn givan is working to do.
Her pre-filed bill would give counties and cities the power to remove monuments - but then transfer ownership of those removed monuments to either the state department of archives and history or the alabama historical commission for maintenence.
The cost of moving it would still be covered by local government.
We know the city of huntsville paid the full cost of moving the madison county monument - and county commission chairman dale strong previously told us the county would cover the cost of a fine.
"that would be on the madison county commission.
We are not going to dodge it.
The big thing, we worked in conjunction with the mayor, with the city council.
Again, we relocated this monument.
We feel we did everything within the law to do when the 90 days expired and the committee never took it up.
Our thing is, we did everything within our power, we feel good about our position.
Previously local activists raised money to pay for the fine.
But they said the commission has not reached out to them about it.
Activists says now they are also working to get the monument preservation act repealed.
Live in hsv ashley c waay 31 news