Reconstituting the Booker T. Washington Commemorative Commission as a joint commemorative commission.
SJ111 reconstitutes the Booker T. Washington Commemorative Commission as a joint commission of the Senate and House of Delegates, replacing the earlier Senate-only structure created under Senate Resolution 95 (2021). The resolution expands the commission’s membership to include legislators from both chambers, along with the clerks of each chamber and the chairs and speakers designated in the measure.
The commission is directed to study and recommend an appropriate statue and location on Capitol Square to commemorate Booker T. Washington’s life, achievements, and legacy. It also broadens the commission’s purpose from simply recognizing Washington to actively recommending a statue for placement on Capitol Square, and it requires annual reports to the General Assembly until the commission completes its work or the statue is erected, whichever occurs later.
The resolution does not amend the Code of Virginia, but it changes the structure and duties of a legislative commemorative commission created by prior resolution. It authorizes the commission to seek assistance from all state agencies and establishes an ongoing reporting requirement, with the first report due by December 1, 2026. The practical effect is to formalize a bicameral legislative process for deciding whether and where to place a Booker T. Washington statue on Capitol Square.
The available text suggests broad support and a commemorative, noncontroversial tone. The resolution passed both chambers and frames Booker T. Washington as a figure associated with racial reconciliation and historic significance to the Commonwealth. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided showing opposition or debate, so the overall sentiment appears favorable and largely celebratory.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of discussion, if any, would likely concern the statue’s placement on Capitol Square, the appropriate form of commemoration, or the expanded role of the commission, but the record supplied does not show disagreement from any particular member, chamber, or stakeholder.