After a prolonged and heated debate, the Alabama House voted Thursday to pass a bill that makes it tougher to remove monuments and historically significant structures from public property.
The Alabama Memorial Preservation Act would make the removal of any monuments on public land subject to approval by the Committee on Alabama Monument Protection, a body that the bill would create. The bill passed the House by a vote of 72-29 after nearly three hours of debate.
Several Democrats said the bill was offensive because it helps preserve Confederate monuments. They pointed out that the legislation was first introduced after then-Gov. Robert Bentley removed the Confederate flag from the state Capitol.
"My people suffered," said Rep. Jackson, D-Thomasville. "Don't bring back those harsh memories that we went through so much to overcome."
Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, the House sponsor of the bill, stressed that the legislation does not only cover monuments but also "architecturally significant buildings," such as the state Capitol.
Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery, said he wasn't buying that argument as motivation for the bill.
"You all in Alabama are trying to live in the past. Man, the Civil War is over with. The South lost the Civil War. I don't care how bad you wanted to win," he said, adding, "This house is getting a little more racist than I thought it would be."
Democrats also said they were angered that the bill was the first on the calendar, and that nearly three hours of the legislature's time was spent debating it.
"This type of legislation ... continues to put Alabama in a negative light, which it is known for racism, discrimination," said Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham. She said Bloody Sunday is what Alabama is best known for "other than Alabama and Auburn football."
Rep. John Knight, D-Montgomery, shared that sentiment.
"I know history's history, and everyone wants to appreciate their history, but... some things we have to put in the past," he said. "We gain nothing by it."
Knight tried to convince Butler that the bill would not help his legacy.
"You will go down in history, Rep. Butler," King said. "Your grandchildren were read about you sponsoring this bill in this house..."
Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard, said the bill inflames tensions.
"Stuff like this directly divides us down the middle," he said. "People that sponsor bills like this don't care about me."
The Senate passed a different version of the bill last month, so the House version will head to the upper chamber to reconcile the differences.