A new Ten Commandments monument will be erected on state Capitol grounds next week, Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) reports on his Facebook page. Rapert sponsored the enabling legislation and created the American History & Heritage Foundation to pay for it.

Chris Powell, a spokesman for Secretary of State Martin, said the monument would be installed on April 26. He said he didn’t know at what time.

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The first monument was installed June 27, 2017, but destroyed less than 24 hours later when a man driving a Dodge Dart rammed it. The man accused of destroying the monument was declared unfit for trial and was committed to the State Hospital.

The new monument will be surrounded by concrete bollards to protect it from anyone who has the same idea.

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As of April 19, the American History & Heritage Foundation’s gofundme page had raised almost $86,000 toward a $100,000 goal. The page’s description said around $18,000 was needed to replace the first monument. Among the donors is Pure Flix, the Christian film and TV studio behind the “God’s Not Dead” series. The company gave Rapert’s foundation $25,000. Rapert has said that excess money would be directed to foundation-approved projects.

Several groups have promised to sue once the monument is re-erected.

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