H.B. 5129: COMMITTEE SUMMARY - UNITED STATES FLAG
House Bill 5129 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Paul Wojno
House Committee: Regulatory Affairs
Senate Committee: Government Operations
Date Completed: 5-12-98
CONTENT
The bill would establish a new act to designate June 14 through July 14 of each year as the official flag month of the State; and prescribe guidelines for the display and handling of the U.S. flag.
The bill provides that handling and displaying the U.S. flag would be encouraged according to the following guidelines:
-- The U.S. flag should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of states or localities or pennants of societies were grouped and displayed from staffs.
-- When flags of states, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies were flown on the same halyard with the U.S. flag, the U.S. flag should always be at the peak. When the flags were flown from adjacent staffs, the U.S. flag should be hoisted first and lowered last. No other flag or pennant should be placed above the U.S. flag or to the flag's right.
-- When flags of two or more nations were displayed, they should be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. A flag of one nation should not be placed above the flag of another nation in time of peace.
-- When the U.S. flag was displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front of a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff. The flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.
-- When the U.S. flag was displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right and should be to the observer's left. When displayed in a window, the U.S. flag should be displayed in the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street.
-- When the flag was displayed over the middle of the street, it should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street and to the east in a north and south street.
-- When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker.
-- When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the U.S. flag should be at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he or she faced the audience. Any other flag displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience.
-- The U.S. flag should form a distinctive feature of the ceremony of unveiling a public statute or monument, but the flag should not be used as the covering for the public statue or monument.
-- The U.S. flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be raised to the peak before it was lowered for the day.
- Legislative Analyst: G. Towne
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
- Fiscal Analyst: E. LimbsS9798\S5129SA
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.