Lawmakers take first step toward creating state museum

Georgia is one of the only states in the nation without its own state history museum, a situation Rep. Joe Wilkinson and others want to change.

Wilkinson, R-Sandy Springs, on Tuesday applauded House passage of Senate Bill 190, which would take the first step in creating a Georgia museum. The bill would transfer responsibility for the existing Georgia Capitol Museum from the secretary of state to the Board of Regents.

Wilkinson said the bill could eventually lead to raising money to create a stand-alone state museum. The bill, which passed the House 159-1, now returns to the Senate for final consideration after it was amended in the House. The bill provides no funding for the prospective museum.