Heritage Act Memorandum

To: Governor Henry McMaster

From: Logan Zeis

Date: November 14, 2022

Re: South Carolina Heritage Act

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On July 10, 2015, the confederate flag was removed from the capital ground after a
white supremist walked into a church in Charlston S.C. and killed 9 African Americans
during a church service on June 17, 2015. Former Governer Nikki Haley took affirmative
action and took down the flag with the Window of Opportunity that came along with the
events that happened.

The current SC Heritage Act states that two-thirds majority of the house has to agree on
the removal of a Confederate monument in the State of South Carolina which aways
wasn’t the case. But now with it being that way it makes it easier rather than 50 percent
plus one to remove a monument.

I feel as if the current SC Heritage Act could be changed in a few ways to make it not
only better for the state but better for the community and people living in the
surrounding areas. I feel that along with the two-thirds vote from the state legislature
there should also be a two-thirds vote from the city or county counsels as well to see if
the city agrees that the monument should or shouldn’t be there. I also feel that the city
should also get a petition signed by citizens to get the statue removed as well.

I say this because you would want the representation from both a city and the state.
You start at the city level where you have a meeting to put the motion into action to vote
about the monument, where then you have a discussion. After you have the discussion
about the monument, they table the vote until the next city or county council meeting
where then they will vote about the removal of the monument. If the vote passes with
two thirds majority, then the vote will go the state where it will have to pass two thirds of
the vote as well.
I also feel that if a city were to write a petition to be able to get the removal. All the state
would have to is follow Section C points 1-9 of the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act. It
states that the petition must “show 1 or more reports of public support,” and “should be
filled with commissions with a proof of public notice.” It also states that the petition
“should be published on a website or a newspaper for the public to be able to see.”
Which in turn makes it easier for everyone to know about it. They also use the two-
thirds vote as well which as well is what the state of South Carolina uses to get
reomoval as well.

This should, one help limit confusion on what's going on with the monument but
two limit the number of lawsuits that could happen with a removal of a statue or
monument. Just like in Charleston where they are currently trying to settle a lawsuit for
the removal of a John C. Calhoun statue. A group claimed that the heritage wasn’t used
correctly before the stateue was removed from its place in Madison Square.