MODEL BILLS

Flag Commission Act

Summary: The Flag Commission Act creates a commission to recommend a new state/city/county flag design, giving all residents the chance to participate.

Based on IL 1818 (2023)

For tips on flag design including many examples, see the booklet “Good” Flag, “Bad” Flag from the North American Vexillological Association.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act shall be called the “Flag Commission Act.”

SECTION 2. FINDINGS

The legislature/council finds that:

1) Over the past ten years, more than 300 cities, counties and states have redesigned their flags.

2) Flags visually communicate something or many things about a place. They can highlight what’s great about a city, county or state, or they can fail to communicate anything. The best flags are fairly simple so that an average person can remember and recognize it easily.

3) A flag redesign should engage residents, from professional graphic artists to schoolchildren. Everyone should be invited to offer ideas, which can include a design contest.

4) The old flag does not have to be abandoned. For example, when Utah redesigned its flag, the governor issued an executive order that the old “historic” flag would be flown at the Capitol above the new flag on state holidays.

SECTION 3. FLAG REDESIGN

After section XXX, the following new section XXX shall be inserted:

(X) FLAG COMMISSION

1) The [state/city/county] Flag Commission is hereby established.

2) The purposes of the Commission are to develop new [state/city/county] flag designs and to make recommendations to the legislature/council concerning whether the current flag ought to be replaced with a redesigned flag.

3) The Commission shall consist of the following members:

a) the [Secretary of State or the Secretary of State’s designee, who shall serve as Chair of the Commission];

b) three members appointed by the [Governor];

c) four members appointed by the [President of the Senate;

d) four members appointed by the [Speaker of the House of Representatives];

e) the [State Superintendent of Education or the Superintendent’s designee]; and

f) the [Chairperson of the Board of the State Museum or the Chairperson’s designee].

4) In furtherance of its purposes under this Act, the Commission shall:

a) establish and adopt goals and guiding principles for the redesign of the flag;

b) establish a process for the submission of proposed designs for a new or revised flag and guidelines for the assessment of those proposed designs;

c) create a publicly accessibly website that provides:

i) historical information about the current flag;

ii) a timeline and explanation of the process to be used to redesign the flag;

iii) an online suggestion box through which residents can offer design ideas for the flag; and

iv) a survey function through which residents can vote on potential flag designs;

d) engage in a public awareness campaign with the design community and advocacy groups, as well as schools, universities, and public libraries, concerning the Commission’s efforts to redesign the flag;

e) select, on or before [date], a group of no more than 10 proposed flag designs.

f) on or before [date], submit to the legislature/council a written report that describes:

i) the proposed flag designs submitted to the Commission;

ii) the process used by the Commission to review the proposed flag designs submitted to it;

iii) the group of no more than 10 proposed flag designs selected by the Commission;

iv) the Commission’s recommendation for a revised or new flag; and

v) the Commission’s recommendations to the concerning whether the current flag ought to be retained or replaced with a revised or new flag.

5) The appointing authorities shall make appointments to the Commission as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, and the Chair of the Commission shall convene the first meeting of the Commission by no later than [date]. Subsequent meetings of the Commission shall convene at the call of the Chair of the Commission. A majority of all the appointed members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and all recommendations of the Commission shall require approval of a majority of the members of the Commission. Meetings of the Commission are subject to the Open Meetings Act.

6) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but may be provided a per diem established by the [Secretary of State] to cover reasonable meal, travel, and lodging expenses incurred by Commission members as a result of their duties under this Section.

7) The Office of the [Secretary of State] shall provide administrative support to the Commission.

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE

This law shall become effective on XXXX 1, 202X.