Rosewood Study Act

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8502 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8502

    To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 
 resource study of the site formerly known as ``Rosewood'', located in 
             Levy County, Florida, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 1, 2020

 Mr. Yoho (for himself, Mr. Soto, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. 
Spano, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Hastings, Ms. Shalala, 
 and Ms. Frankel) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special 
 resource study of the site formerly known as ``Rosewood'', located in 
             Levy County, Florida, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rosewood Study Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The town of Rosewood was originally surveyed in 1847 in 
        Levy County, Florida, and quickly became a majority minority 
        community.
            (2) On January 1, 1923, a young married White woman from a 
        neighboring town falsely accused an African-American man of 
        assault.
            (3) This accusation started a riot and the majority of 
        Rosewood was burned to the ground.
            (4) This riot led to an unjust massacre and death toll that 
        is still unknown.
            (5) Survivors were forced to flee to the woods and 
        ultimately resettle around the State of Florida.
            (6) The town of Rosewood never recovered from this event.
            (7) The Governor of Florida was notified of the events, but 
        did not intervene.
            (8) A small attempt was eventually made to indict locals by 
        a grand jury, but this was unsuccessful.
            (9) This tragedy went unnoticed by those who were not 
        immediately affected for almost 60 years, until 1982 when a 
        reporter for the Saint Petersburg Times began to investigate 
        the massacre.
            (10) In 1993, the State of Florida formally investigated 
        the event and eventually passed a law issuing compensation for 
        the losses to the victims and creating a scholarship fund.
            (11) Violence and prejudice have no place in our society.
            (12) Our society cannot be complacent in senseless acts of 
        violence.
            (13) In order to learn from history, our society must make 
        sure to remember it.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (2) Study area.--The term ``study area'' means the site 
        formerly known as ``Rosewood'', ``grounds of the Rosewood 
        massacre'', and ``State Road 24, Rosewood'' located in Levy 
        County, Florida.

SEC. 4. ROSEWOOD SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which 
funds are first made available for this purpose, the Secretary shall 
complete a special resource study of the study area.
    (b) Contents.--In conducting the study pursuant to subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall--
            (1) evaluate the national significance of the study area;
            (2) determine the suitability and feasibility of 
        designating the study area as a unit of the National Park 
        System;
            (3) consider other alternatives for preservation, 
        protection, and interpretation of the study area by the Federal 
        Government, State or local government entities, or private and 
        nonprofit organizations;
            (4) consult with interested Federal agencies, State or 
        local governmental entities, private and nonprofit 
        organizations, or any other interested individuals; and
            (5) identify cost estimates for any Federal acquisition, 
        development, interpretation, operation, and maintenance 
        associated with the alternatives described in paragraphs (2) 
        and (3).
    (c) Applicable Law.--Except as provided by subsection (a), the 
study required by subsection (a) shall be conducted in accordance with 
section 100507 of title 54, United States Code.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which funds 
are first made available to carry out the study under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate a report that describes--
            (1) the results of the study; and
            (2) any conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary.
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