- Introduced -

SB 735 - This act brings into law the Missouri State Parks Board created through Executive Order 86-26. This act increases the number of board members, specifies the qualifications for those members, and requires the board appointments to be passed with the advice and consent of the Senate.

The base responsibilities of the board remain what they were with the executive order, but with this act, those responsibilities have grown. With this act, the board is now the authorizing authority for all matters relating to the acquisition, development, and operation of the Missouri state park system, including historical monuments, memorials, and markers. Any attempt to erect, modify or remove any monument, memorial or marker must first go to a public hearing and then be decided by majority vote of the Missouri State Parks Board.

At least two meetings per year for the board are mandated in this act, pursuant to the original executive order; as is the consultation with the department of natural resources for the annual inventory and report on the conditions of the state parks and historic monuments, memorials, and markers.

The act dictates that any monument, flag, memorial, or marker that was in place before December 21, 2002 be replaced and future modification be subject to board vote. Any person who knowingly removes, defaces or destroys monuments, memorials or markers protected under the registry shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. And finally, the possibility of relocating monuments, memorials or markers for the sake of construction or repair is accounted for, provided the monument, memorial or marker is prominently displayed.

MEGAN CRAIN