HB3 Summary: Alabama Heritage Preservation Act of 2015

• Creates the Alabama Heritage Preservation Act of 2015, prohibiting relocation, removal, alteration, renaming, or disturbance of commemorative statues, monuments, memorials, plaques, or grave sites with historical significance located on public property.

• Requires entities seeking to alter such objects to petition the Alabama Legislative Council for a waiver through a deliberative process including two public hearings, eight weeks of newspaper advertising, on-site signage, and certification by the Alabama Historical Commission.

• Authorizes the Attorney General to fine governmental entities $100,000 per violation for removing objects without Legislative Council approval.

• Exempts museum collections, the Department of Transportation, and county/municipal bodies when objects interfere with public transportation system construction, maintenance, or operation, though these entities must strive to preserve objects to the greatest extent possible.

• Becomes effective immediately upon passage and gubernatorial approval.