House Bills

Before House Bill 591, two earlier bills were introduced in 1993 to address the Rosewood massacre. Aimed to provide compensation to victims and create a memorial, but it was written more like a symbolic statement than a practical funding bill. It lacked specific evidence, didn’t state a dollar amount, and relied heavily on emotional language rather than facts. Because of this, it failed to gain support and died in committee.

The second bill, House Bill 2425, proposed a $50,000 grant to fund an investigation into the destruction of Rosewood. While it passed the House and made it to the Senate calendar, it also failed to become law. These failed attempts were surrounded by political tension. 

Eventually, even House Bill 591 faced resistance.