Florida Senate - 2024 SB 716
By Senator Rodriguez
40-01625-24 2024716__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Women’s Historical
3 Marker Initiative; providing a short title;
4 establishing the Florida Women’s Historical Marker
5 Initiative within the Division of Historical Resources
6 of the Department of State; providing the purpose of
7 the initiative; establishing the Women’s Historical
8 Marker Selection Committee; providing for membership
9 and duties; providing criteria for recognition by the
10 initiative; requiring the Florida Historical Marker
11 Program to place a certain number of historical
12 markers over a certain time period; providing an
13 effective date.
14
15 WHEREAS, the significant contributions of Florida women are
16 noticeably absent from the more than 1,200 historical markers in
17 Florida which honor historic places, people, and events, with
18 fewer than 20 women recognized, and
19 WHEREAS, Florida is home to world-renowned women
20 scientists, writers, educators, pilots, oceanographers,
21 designers, conservationists, and athletes, most of whom have not
22 been honored with a historical marker, and
23 WHEREAS, inspired by the achievements of the women who have
24 gone before them, the women and girls of Florida, through the
25 Florida Women’s Historical Marker Initiative, will see
26 themselves reflected in the state’s history and gain
27 encouragement in the development and fulfillment of their own
28 aspirations, NOW, THEREFORE,
29
30 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
31
32 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Florida Women’s
33 Historical Marker Initiative.”
34 Section 2. (1) The Florida Women’s Historical Marker
35 Initiative is established within the Division of Historical
36 Resources of the Department of State. The purpose of the
37 initiative is to recognize the contributions of 100 women,
38 living or deceased, to the history of this state with the
39 placement of historical markers by the Florida Historical Marker
40 Program.
41 (2)(a) The Women’s Historical Marker Selection Committee is
42 established to select those women who will be recognized by the
43 initiative. The membership of the committee must consist of:
44 1. Three members appointed by the Governor, two of whom
45 must be noted Florida historians.
46 2. One member appointed by the President of the Senate.
47 3. One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
48 Representatives.
49 4. One member appointed by the Secretary of State.
50 5. A member of the Florida Commission on the Status of
51 Women.
52 6. A representative of the Division of Historical
53 Resources.
54 7. A member of the State Historical Marker Council.
55 8. Two members of the general public.
56 (b) In selecting women to be recognized by the initiative,
57 the committee shall conduct its own research and solicit input
58 from the general public.
59 (3)(a) A woman selected by the Women’s Historical Marker
60 Selection Committee to be recognized must have been born in,
61 resided in, or been employed in this state and must have
62 significantly contributed to the state of Florida, her county,
63 or her specific community.
64 (b) A woman recognized for a specific contribution or
65 achievement may be living, but such contribution or achievement
66 must have occurred more than 30 years before such recognition. A
67 woman may be recognized for a lifetime achievement, but such
68 woman must have been deceased for at least 30 years before such
69 recognition.
70 (c) At least one woman from each of the state’s 67 counties
71 must be recognized, and the remaining 33 women recognized shall
72 be selected by the Women’s Historical Marker Selection
73 Committee.
74 (4) The Florida Historical Marker Program shall place 100
75 historical markers, recognizing one woman for each marker,
76 throughout the state within the next 10 years, with 10 markers
77 placed each year. The first 10 markers must be placed by
78 December 31, 2025. The final marker must be placed by December
79 31, 2035.
80 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.