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LD 1648

Resolve, To Honor Margaret Chase Smith And Joshua Chamberlain In The National Statuary Hall

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Dan Ankeles and 3 co-sponsors

Maine will replace National Statuary Hall statues to honor Margaret Chase Smith and Joshua Chamberlain, return Hamlin and King statues to Maine, and fund via private donations.

Signed by Governor
#artscommission #culturalagencies #statues
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Bill Summary · LD 1648

Summary — LD 1648: Resolve, To Honor Margaret Chase Smith and Joshua Chamberlain in the National Statuary Hall

Status: Signed by Governor (6/12/2025)
Introduced: 4/15/2025
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Primary subjects: arts commissions, cultural agencies, statues / National Statuary Hall

Purpose and intent

LD 1648 directs Maine to replace its two current statues in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall — those of Hannibal Hamlin and William King — with statues honoring Margaret Chase Smith and Joshua Chamberlain. The resolve also directs that the removed statues be returned to Maine and placed within public view or on the State House grounds. Placement in Statuary Hall is contingent on approval by the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library (the federal body that governs replacements).

Key provisions

  • Authorizes the creation and placement of new statues of:
    • Margaret Chase Smith
    • Joshua Chamberlain
  • Directs the removal and return to Maine of existing statues of:
    • Hannibal Hamlin
    • William King
  • Requires the Maine Arts Commission, Maine State Library, Maine Historic Preservation Commission and Maine State Museum to coordinate statue creation, transport, placement, and disposition.
  • Establishes a new Other Special Revenue Funds account in the Maine State Museum: “National Statuary Hall - Statue Replacement” to hold and authorize expenditure of monies received from private or public sources for statue replacement.
  • Includes base allocations of $500 per year (FY2025-26 onward) to this new account to allow expenditure authority for received funds—these are not intended to cover the full cost.

Fiscal impact

  • Estimated total cost (creation, placement in D.C., transport and reinstallation of returned statues in Maine): approximately $800,000 — this estimate applies only if the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library approves the replacement.
  • The bill itself includes a token base Other Special Revenue allocation of $500 annually (FY2025-26 forward) to the new account to permit the spending of donations or other revenues. No direct General Fund appropriation to cover the full $800,000 is included; funding is expected to come from private or public contributions deposited into the special revenue account.
  • Multiple fiscal notes were prepared; an amendment produced no fiscal impact beyond the special revenue account authority.

Who is affected

  • State cultural agencies: Maine Arts Commission, Maine State Library, Maine Historic Preservation Commission, Maine State Museum — responsible for implementation.
  • Donors/public: statute replacement funding is expected to be raised from private/public sources; the special revenue account allows receipt and spending of those monies.
  • The U.S. Congress’ Joint Committee on the Library: federal approval required before replacement occurs.
  • Public users of State House grounds and Maine residents who will see the returned statues on display.

Legislative timeline / procedure

  • Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs (4/15/2025); reported Out of Committee as OTP‑AM (5/15/2025).
  • Committee Amendment A (S‑202) and House Amendment A (H‑429) were adopted during floor consideration.
  • Passed both chambers and sent for concurrence (6/2–6/9/2025).
  • Finally passed and signed by the Governor on 6/12/2025.

Note: Actual statue replacement will only proceed after required federal approvals and once sufficient funds are raised and deposited into the designated special revenue account.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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