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Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk has been spearheading legislative efforts by Republican lawmakers in several states to demand a memorial to the slain activist.
More than six months after Kirk was killed during a campus event at Utah Valley University, many of those proposals are still in limbo, with some facing roadblocks.
As the founder of TPUSA participated in a debate event as part of the “American Comeback Tour,” he was shot in the neck and later pronounced dead at the age of 31. Tyler Robinson was later arrested and now faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder.
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Charlie Kirk speaks at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025 in Orem, Utah. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking on the “American Comeback Tour” when he was shot in the neck and killed. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
Oklahoma State Senator Shane Jett introduced two pieces of legislation honoring Kirk on September 17, 2025, just one week after the murder. The first bill, SB 1187, would require community colleges and universities in the state to establish a “dedicated square or plaza” to honor Kirk. The Republican Act says the designated square or plaza will include a statue of Kirk, adding that the design and size will be approved by the legislature. The bill describes two photo options: either Kirk sitting at a table with an empty chair across from him or one of Kirk and his wife, Erika, holding their children.
A second piece of legislation, SB 1188, would commemorate Kirk by designating his birthday, Oct. 14, as “Charlie Kirk’s Free Speech Day.” Since the introduction of this bill, Gov. Oklahoma’s Kevin Stitt announced Oct. 14, 2025, as “Charlie Kirk Day.” If SB 1188 passes and Stitt signs, the designated day will become an annual tradition in the Fast State. However, both SB 1187 and SB 1188 remain in committee.
In Minnesota, Sen. State Republican Nathan Wesenberg has introduced a bill that includes funds for a statue commemorating Kirk’s life. The bill appropriates $25,000 for Fiscal Year 2027 from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. According to the law, this statue will be placed on the campus of this university in the Twin Cities campus.
Charlie Kirk speaks before he was killed during a Turning Point visit to Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on September 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)
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“I introduced this bill to honor Charlie Kirk’s work promoting respectful debate and free speech on college campuses,” Wesenberg said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “The purpose of this image is to remember that political violence will not be silenced freely.”
“Although I initially wrote the bill for the U of M to have a statue as the largest institution to reach more students, I am thinking of changing it into a competitive process so that any college can apply for this grant,” he added.
Wesenberg’s bill, introduced in late February, has been referred to the Environment, Climate and Heritage Committee.
University of Minnesota attorney Robyn Gulley expressed concern about the law earlier this month. Gulley expressed his condolences to Kirk’s family in a statement sent to the Minnesota Daily, but said putting up a picture of Kirk on the University of Minnesota campus could be seen as “disrespectful,” referring to the TPUSA founder’s disdain for higher education.
In Tennessee, a bill intended to require public universities to build memorials honoring Kirk was shelved earlier this month. The law would authorize the establishment of campuses in public higher education institutions. Each memorial site would be known as a “Charlie Kirk Memorial Courtyard for Civil Debate,” according to the bill, which also included required measurements.
The proposal would have cost taxpayers more than $18 million and resulted in the construction of 47 yards across the state, The Tennessean reported. The bill was submitted to a summer hearing after facing pushback from the House Education Subcommittee over the price tag, according to The Tennessean.
President Donald Trump awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously, presenting the award to Erika Kirk in the Rose Garden of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schifelbein)
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Following Kirk’s assassination, President Donald Trump posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom on what would have been his 32nd birthday. He also announced Oct. 14, 2025, as National Charlie Kirk Memorial Day. Later, Trump honored Kirk at the State of the Union, where the slain activist’s wife attended.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Jett for comment.
