Ten Commandments monument could return to Kentucky Capitol grounds

Resolution raises questions about separation of church and state

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A granite monument of the Ten Commandments is one step closer to being displayed at Monument Park on the state Capitol grounds.

Members of the State House passed Joint Resolution 15, which proposes returning the monument to Frankfort after decades of absence.

This would not be the first time the monument was displayed on Capitol grounds.

“In 1971, the Fraternal Order of Eagles donated a monument containing the Ten Commandments to the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Rep. Shane Baker (R-District 85). “It was displayed on the state Capitol grounds until the 1980s until it was removed for a construction project, and when it was removed for a construction project it was never replaced,” said Rep. Baker.

Supporters of the resolution argue that the monument’s placement is about historical preservation rather than religious advocacy.

“Returning the monument to the Capitol grounds is historical restoration and it acknowledges the history and tradition of the Commonwealth and our nation,” said Rep. Baker.

However, some lawmakers voiced concerns about the implications of displaying a religious monument on government property.

“It gives me a little heartburn about separation of church and state,” said Rep. Joshua Watkins (D-District 42).

The resolution, which passed in the House with a 79-13 vote, now moves to the State Senate for consideration. If approved, the monument, currently located in Hopkinsville, would be relocated to Monument Park.