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SB636 • 2026

Confederate monuments and memorials; Department of General Services to remove from Capitol Square.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to direct the Department of General Services to remove all Confederate monuments and memorials from Capitol Square and, in coordination with the Department of Historic Resources, to review the most appropriate options for the final disposition of certain state-owned property; report.</p>

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Ebbin
Last action
2026-03-09
Official status
Failed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Removing Confederate Monuments from Capitol Square

This bill requires the Department of General Services to remove all Confederate monuments and memorials from Capitol Square and work with other departments to decide what should happen to them.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of General Services to remove all Confederate monuments and memorials from Capitol Square.
  • Directs the Department to store these removed items until the state decides their final fate.
  • Asks the Department, in coordination with the Department of Historic Resources, to review the most appropriate options for the final disposition of these items and report back by October 15, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of General Services
  • The Department of Historic Resources

Terms To Know

Confederate monuments and memorials
Statues, plaques, or other items that honor people or events from the Confederate States during the American Civil War.
Capitol Square
The area around the state capitol building where important government buildings are located.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what will happen to the monuments after they are removed.
  • Does not mention who will pay for removing and storing the monuments.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SB636AHC1

2026-03-02 • Committee

Studies Subcommittee Subcommittee Amendment

Plain English: The amendment adds the Library of Virginia to work with the Department of Historic Resources on reviewing the final disposition of certain state-owned property.

  • Adds the Library of Virginia as a partner in coordination with the Department of Historic Resources for reviewing the most appropriate options for the final disposition of certain state-owned property.
  • The amendment does not specify what 'certain state-owned property' refers to, leaving it unclear which specific items or areas are being discussed.
  • It is not clear how the involvement of the Library of Virginia will affect the process or outcomes.
SB636AH1

2026-03-06 • Committee

Rules Amendment

Plain English: The amendment adds the Library of Virginia to work with the Department of Historic Resources on reviewing the final disposition of certain state-owned property.

  • Adds 'and the Library of Virginia' after 'Department of Historic Resources' in two places.
  • The exact role and responsibilities of the Library of Virginia are not specified in this amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-09 Appropriations

    Tabled in Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)

  2. 2026-03-06 Rules

    Reported from Rules with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (12-Y 6-N)

  3. 2026-03-02 Studies Subcommittee

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (4-Y 0-N)

  4. 2026-03-02 Studies Subcommittee

    Reconsidered by Rules (Voice Vote)

  5. 2026-03-02 Studies Subcommittee

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (4-Y 0-N)

  6. 2026-03-01 Studies Subcommittee

    Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee

  7. 2026-02-12 House

    Placed on Calendar

  8. 2026-02-12 House

    Read first time

  9. 2026-02-12 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  10. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  11. 2026-02-06 Senate

    Read second time

  12. 2026-02-06 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)

  13. 2026-02-06 Finance and Appropriations

    Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

  14. 2026-02-06 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)

  15. 2026-02-06 Finance and Appropriations

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB636)

  16. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  17. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  18. 2026-02-05 Finance and Appropriations

    Committee substitute printed 26107220D-S1

  19. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  20. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  21. 2026-02-04 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (9-Y 5-N)

  22. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB636)

  23. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  24. 2026-01-30 Rules

    Rereferred from Rules to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  25. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105277D

  26. 2026-01-14 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

Official Summary Text

Department of General Services; removal of Confederate monuments and memorials.
Directs the Department of General Services to remove all Confederate monuments and memorials from Capitol Square. The bill directs the Department to store such monuments and memorials until such time as the General Assembly determines their final disposition. The bill also requires the Department, in coordination with the Department of Historic Resources, to review the most appropriate options for the final disposition of all monuments, memorials, and artifacts in its possession and report its findings to the Joint Committee on Rules by October 15, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB 636

RULES

1. Line 7, engrossed, Title, after
Resources

insert

and the Library of Virginia

RULES

2. Line 17, engrossed, after
Resources

insert

and the Library of Virginia