Some of Virginia's scores of Confederate monuments could soon be removed under legislation state lawmakers approved Sunday. The Democratic-led House and Senate passed measures that would undo an existing state law that protects the monuments and instead let local governments decide their fate.
1 / 2Confederate Monuments VirginiaDel. Delores McQuinn, D-Richmond, left, speaks with State Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, R-Henrico, center, and Del. Luke tori, D-Prince William, right during the House session at the Capitol Saturday March 7 , 2020, in Richmond, Va. Some of Virginia's scores of Confederate monuments could soon be removed under legislation state lawmakers approved Saturday. Del. Delores McQuinn, a Democrat from Richmond, was a sponsor of the legislation. RICHMOND, Va.
After white supremacists descended on Charlottesville in 2017, in part to protest the city’s attempt to move a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee, many places across the country quickly started taking Confederate monuments down. But Virginia localities that wanted to remove monuments were hamstrung by the existing law.
“I think more of them are going to be interested in contextualizing, you know, making sure that there is a sense of truth told and shared with the public,” she said. Story continuesCritics say the monuments are offensive to African Americans because they romanticize the Confederacy and ignore its defense of slavery.
The House and Senate initially passed different bills, with disagreements about what hurdles a locality must clear before taking down a statue. A conference committee hashed out the differences. Northam, who last year was embroiled in a scandal over a racist photo that appeared in his medical school yearbook, announced at the start of the legislative session what he called a historic justice agenda aimed at telling the accurate and complete story of Virginia’s past.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New Health Insurance Law Lets Employers Refuse To Cover Contraceptives If They’re Morally Opposed To WomenWASHINGTON—Ensuring that business owners’ basic freedoms remain adequately protected, a new health insurance law passed Wednesday allows employers to refuse to pay for contraceptives if they are morally opposed to women.
Read more »
Washington state legislature approves bill to get more free meals into schoolsWashington's state senate passed a bill that would give schools federal funding to pay for free meals.
Read more »
How Virginia has moved in a more progressive direction, from the bills it has passedThe Virginia legislative session comes to a close Saturday, as state lawmakers will adjourn their 60-day session.
Read more »
Thai lawmakers from dissolved prominent opposition party to join new partyDozens of Thai lawmakers from a prominent opposition party that was dissolved la...
Read more »
U.S. Senator Cruz self quarantines after contact with coronavirus carrierTwo U.S. Republican lawmakers, Senator Ted Cruz and Rep. Paul Gosar, said on Sun...
Read more »
Japan's Abe, under fire over coronavirus, to alter law to allow emergency declarationJapan is set this week to revise a law allowing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to dec...
Read more »