Florida House Committee Advances Bill to Protect Historic Monuments

TALLAHASSEE, FL – A proposal to ban local governments from removing or altering historic Florida monuments and memorials passed the Florida House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The bill, HB 455, sponsored by Jacksonville Republican Rep. Dean Black, aims to prevent local authorities from enacting ordinances that would remove, damage, or destroy these historical displays. If enacted, any official violating the ban could face a civil fine of up to $1,000.

Contentious Debate and Democratic Opposition

The proposal sparked strong opposition from Democratic lawmakers on the committee. Rep. Bruce Antone, D-Orlando, argued that while preserving history is important, Confederate monuments were erected not to honor greatness but as “a veiled threat to colored people, and negroes.” Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, questioned why figures seditious against the United States would be honored.

Republican Rep. Michelle Salzman countered that “a nation without memory is a nation without direction,” and that historical displays represent the values and struggles of their time. She emphasized the importance of context and truthful storytelling, arguing that removing monuments doesn’t erase history.

Public Concerns and Comparisons

Public comment during the committee hearing revealed deep divisions on the issue. Robin Taub Williams, a retired teacher, drew a parallel to Germany’s lack of public displays honoring Adolf Hitler, questioning why monuments to those who fought for slavery remain in the United States. Wells Todd, a Jacksonville activist, highlighted the eight-year battle to remove a Confederate statue in his city, suggesting the bill is a reaction to local efforts to address controversial monuments.

Isabella Rodriguez, representing Citizens Defending Freedom, voiced support for the bill, sharing her family’s experience escaping communism and warning against the destruction of monuments as a sign of regime change. She also criticized the labeling of those who support preserving monuments as racist.

Legislative History and Future Outlook

Similar proposals have been introduced in the past three legislative sessions but have failed to reach the governor’s desk. During the 2024 session, Senate Democrats staged a walkout during a heated discussion of a similar bill, preventing it from advancing.

Rep. Black clarified that the bill isn’t intended to restore Confederate monuments already removed, stating that those removals have already occurred. He expressed concern that the focus could shift to other monuments, such as those of Christopher Columbus or even Holocaust memorials and statues of Martin Luther King Jr., based on evolving social and political concerns.

The bill passed the committee along strict party lines. It now heads to one more committee stop before potentially reaching the House floor. However, its companion bill in the Senate, SB 496, has yet to be heard in any of its three committees, casting doubt on its chances of becoming law this session.

In 2016, the Florida Legislature voted to remove a statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith from the U.S. Capitol and replace it with a statue of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune . Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune became the first Black American to be represented with a state statue in National Statuary Hall in July 2022 .