MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2018 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Perkins
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-16, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CHANGE THE DESIGN OF THE OFFICIAL FLAG OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO PROHIBIT THE PREVIOUS OFFICIAL STATE FLAG FROM BEING FLOWN OR DISPLAYED ON OR IN ANY PUBLIC BUILDING OR OTHER PUBLIC PROPERTY, EXCEPT IN A HISTORICAL EXHIBIT IN A PUBLIC MUSEUM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 3-3-16, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
3-3-16. The official flag
of the State of Mississippi shall have the following design: * * * with width two-thirds
(2/3) of its length; the union (canton) to be square, bordered with white on
the fly side and the bottom side, in width two-thirds (2/3) the width of the
flag, the ground of the union to be old glory blue, and emblazoned with an
outer circle of thirteen (13) five-pointed stars, an inner circle of six (6)
five-pointed stars and a single large five-pointed star in the center; the
stars in the inner and outer circle to be one-twelfth (1/12) the width of the
flag, and the center star to be one-eighth (1/8) the width of the flag, with
all stars to be pointed upward; the field to be divided into three (3) bars of
equal width, the upper one (1) old glory blue, the center one (1) white and the
lower one (1) old glory red. The nineteen (19) stars surrounding the center
star represent the first nineteen (19) states admitted to the United States.
The center star represents the State of Mississippi and symbolizes that
Mississippi was the twentieth state admitted to the United States.
SECTION 2. (1) The flag that was the official flag of the State of Mississippi immediately before July 1, 2018, as described in subsection (2) of this section, may not be flown or displayed on or in any public building or other public property, except in a historical exhibit in a public museum. The appropriate public agency or public official having jurisdiction over a public building or public property shall enforce the provisions of this section.
(2) The flag that was the official flag of the State of Mississippi before July 1, 2018, had the following design: with width two-thirds (2/3) of its length; with the union (canton) to be square, in width two-thirds (2/3) of the width of the flag; the ground of the union to be red and a broad blue saltire thereon, bordered with white and emblazoned with thirteen (13) mullets or five-pointed stars, corresponding with the number of the original States of the Union; the field to be divided into three (3) bars of equal width, the upper one (1) blue, the center one (1) white, and the lower one (1), extending the whole length of the flag, red (the national colors).
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.