Bill Text: NJ A3728 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Asks Joint Committee on Library of Congress to approve replacing NJ statue of Philip Kearny in National Statuary Hall Collection with statue of Alice Paul.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-22 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee [A3728 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A3728-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Asks Joint Committee on Library of Congress to approve replacing NJ statue of Philip Kearny in National Statuary Hall Collection with statue of Alice Paul.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act to provide for the replacement of the New Jersey statue of Philip Kearny in the National Statuary Hall Collection of the United States Capitol with a statue of Alice Paul.
Whereas, In 1864, the United States Congress established the National Statuary Hall Collection in the Old Hall of the House of Representatives in the United States Capitol and authorized each state to contribute to the collection two statues to represent important historical figures from that state; and
Whereas, New Jersey currently has on display in the National Statuary Hall Collection statues of Richard Stockton and Philip Kearny given by the State in 1888; and
Whereas, In 2000, the United States Congress enacted legislation authorizing states to request that the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress approve the replacement of a statue the state had provided for display in the hall's collection; and
Whereas, Alice Paul, a women's rights activist and suffragist, is a significant historical and civil rights figure who was born in Moorestown, New Jersey; and
Whereas, Alice Paul became involved in the women's suffrage movement in the United States in 1910, and worked two years with the National American Woman Suffrage Association, cofounded the Congressional Union seeking a federal constitutional amendment for women's suffrage, and in 1916, formed the National Woman's Party; and
Whereas, Alice Paul was instrumental in the passage and ratification in 1920 of the Nineteenth Amendment, which prohibited denying any citizen the right to vote on the basis of sex; and
Whereas, Alice Paul penned the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923, which had been introduced in every Congressional term between 1923 and 1972, and continued to advocate on behalf of women until her death on July 9, 1977; and
Whereas, Because she was a driving force behind the attainment of women's suffrage and the national movement toward equality for women, Alice Paul is worthy of recognition in the National Statuary Hall Collection; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The State of New Jersey requests that the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress approve the replacement of the New Jersey statue of Philip Kearny in the National Statuary Hall Collection with a statue of Alice Paul.
2. The Secretary of State shall submit to the United States Architect of the Capitol for his or her review for completeness a written request from the Governor to approve the replacement. The Governor's request shall also include a description of the location in New Jersey where the replaced statue of Philip Kearny will be displayed after it is transferred and a copy of this act requesting such replacement. After such review, the Governor and Legislature calls on the architect to forward the request to the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress for its approval or denial. If the request is approved by the committee, the architect and the Secretary of State, acting on behalf of the State of New Jersey, shall enter into an agreement pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 2132(b).
3. a. There is created the National Statuary Hall Selection Committee. The committee shall be temporary and consist of seven members, appointed as follows:
(1) two members appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of the Senate President, not more than one of whom shall be from the same political party;
(2) two members appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, not more than one of whom shall be from the same political party;
(3) the Secretary of State, or the designee thereof; and
(4) two members appointed by the Governor, not more than one of whom shall be from the same political party.
The members of the committee shall select a member of the committee to be the chair and a member of a different political party to be vice chair. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
The chair shall appoint a secretary to the committee, who need not be a member of the committee.
A quorum of the members shall be the majority of the members. The members shall be appointed within 45 days following the enactment of this act and shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of the majority of its members.
b. Upon approval by the Joint Committee of the Library of Congress and pursuant to the agreement provided for in section 2 of this act, the committee shall:
(1) select a sculptor to create a statue of Alice Paul to be placed in the National Statuary Hall Collection, and review and approve the plans for the statue; and
(2) identify a method to obtain the funding necessary to pay for the following items:
(a) the sculptor for designing and carving or casting the statue;
(b) the design and fabrication of the pedestal;
(c) the transportation of the statue and pedestal to the United States Capitol;
(d) the removal and transportation of the replaced statue;
(e) the temporary placement of the new statue in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol for the unveiling ceremony;
(f) the unveiling ceremony; and
(g) such other expenses that the committee determines are necessary to incur to replace the New Jersey statue of Philip Kearny with that of Alice Paul.
c. The committee shall complete its work within one year of its initial organizational meeting and terminate upon completion of a written report on its activities. Copies of the report shall be transmitted to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and any other official required to receive reports pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). Copies of the report shall also be made available to the general public.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The purpose of this bill is to request that the New Jersey statue of Philip Kearny in the National Statuary Hall Collection at the United States Capitol be replaced with a statue of Alice Paul.
Alice Paul was a women's rights activist, suffragist, and principal leader of the early 1900's campaign for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. She was born on January 11, 1885, in Moorestown, New Jersey. Alice Paul was instrumental in the passage and ratification in 1920 of the Nineteenth Amendment, which prohibited denying any citizen the right to vote on the basis of sex.
The bill enables the State, following the procedure established in federal law, to formally ask the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress to approve the replacement of the statue of Philip Kearny the State had provided for display in the National Statuary Hall Collection. If approved by the Joint Committee, the new statue would be one of Alice Paul.
The bill establishes a temporary, bi-partisan, seven-member committee made up of:
(1) four members appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of the Senate President and the Speaker of the General Assembly;
(2) the Secretary of State, or a designee thereof; and
(3) two members appointed by the Governor.
The committee will select a sculptor for the statue and determine how to fund its completion and transportation to the United States Capitol.
