Pennsylvania Act 1987-75 — SOLDIERS' GROVE - DESIGNATION

Act text

AN ACT

Providing for the designation of certain trees and land on the grounds of the State Capitol in Harrisburg as "Soldiers' Grove" in honor of war veterans; imposing duties upon the Department of General Services; and making an appropriation.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Designation of area as "Soldiers' Grove."

The growth of trees and the area in which they are growing lying between the Forum Building and the Finance Building on the grounds of the State Capitol in Harrisburg shall on and after the effective date of this act be known as "Soldiers' Grove."

Section 2. Duties of Department of General Services.

(a) Marking of trees.--The Department of General Services shall mark the ten largest trees growing in the area that is to be designated "Soldiers' Grove."

(b) Plaques.--

(1) The department shall arrange for the fabrication of appropriate bronze plaques in honor of veterans of the following:

(i) The American Revolutionary War.

(ii) The War of 1812.

(iii) The Mexican-American War.

(iv) The American Civil War.

(v) The Spanish-American War.

(vi) World War I.

(vii) World War II.

(viii) The Korean War.

(ix) The Vietnam Conflict.

(x) Any war or armed conflict officially engaged in by the United States commencing after the Vietnam Conflict.

(2) The department shall also arrange for the fabrication of an appropriate bronze plaque to honor the unknown veterans of the wars and conflicts enumerated in paragraph (1).

((b) amended June 8, 2016, P.L.271, No.38)

(c) Placement of plaques.--The department shall affix the plaques provided for in subsection (b) to granite plinths. A plaque shall be placed in close proximity to each of the trees marked under subsection (a), and an appropriate inscription shall be mounted on each tree declaring that the tree is dedicated to veterans of a war or conflict.

(d) Medal of Honor Memorial.--The Department of General Services shall arrange for the placement of permanent low-lying decorative chain barriers within the Medal of Honor Memorial Gardens at the end of each concrete arc representing the Tides of War. ((d) added June 8, 2016, P.L.271, No.38)

(e) Signage.--The Department of General Services shall arrange to have signs placed conspicuously around "Soldiers' Grove" reminding people to respect the hallowed grounds of the Medal of Honor Memorial Gardens. The signs should read as follows:

At All Times, Please Remember This Memorial Is Hallowed Ground.

((e) added June 8, 2016, P.L.271, No.38)

Section 3. Time for completion.

The Department of General Services shall complete the duties imposed upon it by section 2 in sufficient time to allow for dedication of "Soldiers' Grove" on May 30, 1988.

Section 4. Appropriation.

(a) Department.--The sum of $25,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of General Services to carry out the purposes of this act.

(b) Funding.--An improvement required under this act may be undertaken only if adequate funding is available.

(4 amended June 8, 2016, P.L.271, No.38)

Section 4.1. Preservation of "Soldiers' Grove."

The Department of General Services shall arrange for the appropriate preservation of "Soldiers' Grove" as provided for in the report issued pursuant to House Resolution 331 adopted June 21, 2011. Specifically, the Department of General Services shall utilize the third recommendation contained on page 18 of the report relating to the concept of erecting "Pillars of Time."

(4.1 added June 8, 2016, P.L.271, No.38)

Section 4.2. Construction.

Nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the authority of the Department of General Services to comply with the provisions of this act while conforming to the original design of the Medal of Honor Memorial Gardens to the greatest extent possible.

(4.2 added June 8, 2016, P.L.271, No.38)

Section 5. Effective date.

This act shall take effect immediately.