§41-9-261. Designation of commission as agency responsible for restoration and preservation of State Capitol; powers and duties.

(a) The primary restoration, planning and preservation responsibility for the State Capitol of Alabama and its contiguous historic grounds, designated by the United States government as a national historic landmark, is hereby delegated to the Alabama Historical Commission.

(b) The Alabama Historical Commission is instructed to protect the historic and architectural integrity of this historic Greek revival masterpiece which served as the first Capitol of the Confederacy in 1861 and has served as the Capitol of Alabama for more than 120 years.

(c) The agencies of the State of Alabama charged with architectural, engineering, maintenance and alteration responsibilities for the State Capitol shall submit plans and specifications to the Alabama Historical Commission which shall review them for the retention of the historic merit and architectural integrity of the landmark prior to any adaptive or construction activities.

(d) The commission shall be authorized and empowered to promote and preserve the historic character and architectural purity of the Capitol building and grounds and, to that end, it shall exercise its authority, control and general supervisory jurisdiction over the Capitol grounds, including walkways and driveways, and over all public areas within the Capitol building, including the outer office of the executive suite. Such authority shall specifically include, but not be limited to, the corridors, rotundas, lobbies, entranceways, stairways, restrooms, porticos, steps and elevators. The commission shall have no jurisdiction over the areas used for private office space, except as to structural modifications, but shall have jurisdiction over all areas specified in this section, and any and all changes contemplated, whether they be architectural in nature or merely the moving or replacement of furniture and furnishings, shall first require the approval of the commission.

With respect to the legislative chambers, legislative lounges and legislative meeting rooms, the commission shall be authorized and empowered to advise and consult with the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate and the presiding officer, respectively, and to suggest and recommend changes and renovations within such spaces that would be appropriate and in keeping with the preservation of the historic value and architectural purity therein; provided, however, that no changes or renovations to the said chambers, lounges or meeting rooms shall be undertaken or initiated without the approval of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate and the presiding officer, respectively; provided further, that no changes or renovations to the Capitol building and grounds as defined in this section, other than the legislative chambers, legislative lounges and legislative meeting rooms provided for in the preceding provisions of this sentence, shall be undertaken or initiated without the approval of the Governor.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed as to supersede any authority of the state Building Commission and, if so, that portion is expressly repealed.

(Acts 1969, No. 1148, p. 2153, §2; Acts 1976, No. 634, p. 881.)