MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2017 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Gunn
AN ACT TO CELEBRATE AND PRESERVE THE COLLECTIVE AND SHARED HISTORY AND PROGRESS MADE BY THE GREAT STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO ENCOURAGE PRIDE IN OUR STATE BY ALL CITIZENS OF MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE FOR AN OFFICIAL BICENTENNIAL FLAG OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI IN HONOR OF THE STATE'S BICENTENNIAL ON DECEMBER 10, 2017; TO ENCOURAGE ALL STATE AGENCIES, STATE INSTITUTIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS TO FLY AND DISPLAY THE OFFICIAL BICENTENNIAL FLAG AS PART OF THE CELEBRATION OF MISSISSIPPI'S BICENTENNIAL; TO PROVIDE THAT THE NAME OF ANY STATE INSTITUTION, BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL, MAY ONLY BE CHANGED BY AN ACT OF THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. The State of Mississippi shall promote through education, tourism and other events, the celebration and preservation of our collective and shared history from the state's founding on December 10, 1817, to the present day progress and advancements, and shall proudly recognize our trailblazing cultural achievements in music, literature, the arts, athletics, industries and other fields. These efforts to capture our collective story shall also depict the recovery from natural disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Camille, and the generosity and resilience that all of our citizens share. Promoting our character of strength, generosity, hospitality, courage and resilience through these efforts will continue to encourage an overwhelming pride in our state by all citizens of Mississippi.
SECTION 2. (1) Mississippi was admitted to the United States as the twentieth state of the Union on December 10, 1817, and the State of Mississippi will celebrate its bicentennial as a state on December 10, 2017. In honor of the state's bicentennial, there is created an official bicentennial flag of the State of Mississippi, which shall have the following design:
On a field ten (10) units high by fifteen (15) units wide, vertical bars at the hoist and fly, in Old Glory Red (Pantone red 193C), three (3) units wide, flank a central panel in white. Centered in the panel, a large five-pointed star in Old Glory Blue (Pantone blue 282C), inscribed within an imaginary circle four and seventy-five hundredths (4.75) units in diameter, is surrounded by nineteen (19) small five-pointed stars in Old Glory Blue (Pantone blue 282C), each with a diameter of seven-tenths (0.7) unit and oriented point-upwards, equally spaced with their centers on an imaginary circle six and nine-tenths (6.9) units in diameter and one (1) star at the top of the circle. In an arc above the small stars is the word "Bicentennial" with all capital letters in trattatello font, in Old Glory Red (Pantone red 193C), one and four-tenths (1.4) units high. In the center of the vertical bar at the hoist is the year "1817" and in the center of the vertical bar at the fly is the year "2017," with each year in trattatello font, in Old Glory Blue (Pantone blue 282C), one and four-tenths (1.4) units high.
The small stars represent the first nineteen (19) states admitted to the United States, and the center star represents the State of Mississippi as the twentieth state to join the Union. The small stars form a circle, a shape that represents wholeness, unity and potential. The red bars stand opposite of one another, recognizing the passionate differences that the people of our state sometimes harbor. Joining all of the elements is a field of white symbolizing illumination, spirituality and promise.
(2) All state agencies, state institutions, local governments, businesses and citizens of the State of Mississippi are encouraged to fly and display the official bicentennial flag as part of the celebration of Mississippi's bicentennial.
SECTION 3. The name of any state institution, both formal and informal, may only be changed by an act of the Mississippi Legislature.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.