FISCAL NOTE
Date Requested: January 28, 2026
Time Requested: 04:52 PM |
| Agency: |
Administration, WV Department of |
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| CBD Number: |
Version: |
Bill Number: |
Resolution Number: |
| 3123 |
Introduced |
SB653 |
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| CBD Subject: |
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FUND(S):
Appropriated Special Revenue
Sources of Revenue:
Special Fund Capitol Renovations and Improvement Fund (2462)
Legislation creates:
Creates New Expense
Fiscal Note Summary
Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.
SB653 proposes to have the General Services Division plan and place a statue of US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom in a corner of the rotunda of the State Capitol. The proposed legislation indicates that the "base of the statue shall include a list of Specialist Beckstrom's military awards and her date of birth and date of death," which may infer that the monument include a stone base with engraving or plaque topped with statuary of some size. These inferences influence the overall estimate for costs, which assumes a life-size bronze statue on a marble base, with engraved bronze plaque, fabricated by an artist of minor prominence.
The Bill proposes the cost for such planning and placement would come from existing funding, the Capitol Renovation and Improvement Fund (2462), managed by the General Services Division. The effort would be a new expense, with no new generated revenue.
Fiscal Note Detail
| Effect of Proposal |
Fiscal Year |
2026
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
2027
Increase/Decrease
(use"-") |
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation) |
| 1. Estmated Total Cost |
0 |
50,000 |
500 |
| Personal Services |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Current Expenses |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Repairs and Alterations |
0 |
50,000 |
500 |
| Assets |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2. Estimated Total Revenues |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):
The price of statuary can vary greatly, depending first on design. A marble base, engraved bronze plaque, topped with a life-sized bronze statue, would cost approximately $30,000 to $35,000 for the bronze statue, and another $5,000 to $15,000 for a suitable marble base (including the bronze engraved plaque). It is assumed that a smaller installation, requiring less sculpting, similar to the bronze busts on pedestals (e.g. Anna Jarvis, Thomas Jackson, and Cleve Bailey) in the Lower Capitol Rotunda, would cost less. Thus, size, scale and form substantially determine overall costs.
Secondarily, the cost of artistic statuary can also vary based upon the prominence of the artist selected to perform the work. A recent example of a cursory exploration of cost - for a cluster of three (3) life-sized bronze sculptures for a potential memorial funded by private fund-raising efforts - inferred a cost of $500,000.00 for the set (of three), but from an arguably prominent artist. A bill proposed during the 2024 2nd Extraordinary Session, believed to have originated from the Department of Arts, Culture and History, estimated the cost for providing four (4) statues of what are believed to be similar style as that assumed herein at $300,000.00 (or, $75,000 each).
Costs for maintaining the statuary after installation would likely be $500.00 per year, again depending on final scale.
Memorandum
Were SB598, which proposes four (4) new statues in the "corners" of the Rotunda, were to also pass, consideration may need made to determine which statuary takes priority for location.
Person submitting Fiscal Note: Robert P Kilpatrick
Email Address: robert.p.kilpatrick@wv.gov