1     
STATE FLAG REVIEW COMMISSION

2     
2019 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Stephen G. Handy

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill creates the State Flag Review Commission and provides the commission's
10     duties.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     defines terms;
14          ▸     creates the State Flag Review Commission;
15          ▸     provides for the term and appointment of commission members;
16          ▸     requires the commission to assess the current state flag design against principles of
17     good flag design;
18          ▸     identifies the principles of good flag design for use in the commission's assessment;
19          ▸     requires the commission to:
20               •     receive public input regarding the current state flag design; and
21               •     make a report and recommendation to the Government Operations Interim
22     Committee;
23          ▸     establishes a repeal date for the commission; and
24          ▸     makes technical changes.
25     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
26          None
27     Other Special Clauses:

28          This bill provides a special effective date.
29     Utah Code Sections Affected:
30     AMENDS:
31          63I-2-263, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapters 38, 95, 382, and 469
32     ENACTS:
33          63G-1-801, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34          63G-1-802, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35          63G-1-803, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36          63G-1-804, Utah Code Annotated 1953
37          63G-1-805, Utah Code Annotated 1953
38     

39     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
40          Section 1. Section 63G-1-801 is enacted to read:
41     
Part 8. State Flag Review Commission

42          63G-1-801. Definitions.
43          As used in this part:
44          (1) "Commission" means the State Flag Review Commission created in Section
45     63G-1-802.
46          (2) "Current state flag design" means the state flag design described in Section
47     63G-1-501.
48          (3) "Principles of good flag design" means the principles described in Section
49     63G-1-805.
50          Section 2. Section 63G-1-802 is enacted to read:
51          63G-1-802. State Flag Review Commission -- Creation -- Membership -- Meetings
52     -- Staff.
53          (1) There is created the State Flag Review Commission.
54          (2) The commission consists of the following 22 members:
55          (a) a member of the Senate that the president of the Senate appoints;
56          (b) two members of the House of Representatives that the speaker of the House of
57     Representatives appoints;
58          (c) the following 13 individuals that the governor appoints:

59          (i) one individual representing the office of the governor;
60          (ii) after receiving recommendations from the Utah Association of Counties:
61          (A) one individual serving in the legislative body of a county of the first or second
62     class; and
63          (B) one individual serving in the legislative body of a county of the third, fourth, fifth,
64     or sixth class;
65          (iii) after receiving recommendations from the Utah League of Cities and Towns:
66          (A) one individual serving in the legislative body of a city of the first class;
67          (B) one individual serving in the legislative body of a city of the second or third class;
68     and
69          (C) one individual serving in the legislative body of a city of the fourth or fifth class;
70          (iv) one individual who is a member of a national or international vexillological
71     organization or association;
72          (v) two individuals each representing the graphic arts or advertising industries;
73          (vi) two individuals representing Utah's ethnic minority populations;
74          (vii) one individual representing the academic community; and
75          (viii) one individual representing the International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers;
76          (d) one individual representing the State Capitol Preservation Board that the board's
77     executive director appoints;
78          (e) one individual representing the Division of State History that the division's director
79     appoints;
80          (f) one individual representing the Board of Tourism Development that the board's
81     chair appoints;
82          (g) one individual representing Utah's Native American community that the director of
83     the Division of Indian Affairs appoints after receiving recommendations from federally
84     recognized tribes in Utah; and
85          (h) the following two individuals that the chair of the State Board of Education
86     appoints:
87          (i) one individual representing the State Board of Education; and
88          (ii) one student who is enrolled in a high school within the state.
89          (3) Each individual with authority to appoint an individual under Subsection (2) shall

90     make the appointment on or before June 1, 2019.
91          (4) The commission shall select a chair and a vice chair from among the members
92     described in Subsection (2) during the commission's initial meeting.
93          (5) A majority of the commission constitutes a quorum for the transaction of
94     commission business.
95          (6) The commission shall ensure that each meeting of the commission complies with
96     Title 52, Chapter 4, Open and Public Meetings Act.
97          (7) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
98     to the commission.
99          Section 3. Section 63G-1-803 is enacted to read:
100          63G-1-803. Terms of commission members -- Vacancies -- Salaries and expenses.
101          (1) The term of each commission member ends on November 30, 2019.
102          (2) (a) A commission member may be removed from the commission by the individual
103     who appointed the member.
104          (b) If a commission member described in Subsection 63G-1-802(2)(a) or (b) leaves the
105     member's legislative office, the individual may not continue to serve as a commission member.
106          (c) Within 14 days after the day on which a vacancy occurs under Subsection (2)(a) or
107     (b) or the day on which another event occurs that causes a vacancy, the individual who
108     originally appointed a member to the subsequently vacant position shall fill the vacancy in
109     accordance with Subsection 63G-1-802(2).
110          (3) (a) A commission member may not receive compensation or benefits for the
111     member's service on the commission but may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel
112     expenses incurred as a commission member as allowed in Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107
113     and rules that the Division of Finance makes in accordance with Sections 63A-3-106 and
114     63A-3-107.
115          (b) Compensation and expenses of a commission member who is a legislator are
116     governed by Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Legislative Compensation and
117     Expenses.
118          Section 4. Section 63G-1-804 is enacted to read:
119          63G-1-804. Commission duties.
120          The commission shall:

121          (1) convene the commission's initial meeting on or before June 14, 2019;
122          (2) assess the current state flag design using the established principles of good flag
123     design;
124          (3) hold public hearings or otherwise gather public input regarding the current state
125     flag design; and
126          (4) no later than the November interim meeting in 2019, make a report and
127     recommendation to the Government Operations Interim Committee regarding:
128          (a) the commission's assessment described in Subsection (2);
129          (b) public input the commission received under Subsection (3); and
130          (c) a recommendation that:
131          (i) if the assessment described in Subsection (2) concludes that the current state flag
132     design fails to adhere to the established principles of good flag design, the Legislature should
133     create a process to select a new state flag design; or
134          (ii) if the assessment described in Subsection (2) concludes that the current state flag
135     design adheres to the established principles of good flag design, the state should retain the
136     current state flag design.
137          Section 5. Section 63G-1-805 is enacted to read:
138          63G-1-805. Established principles of good flag design.
139          In assessing the current state flag design, the commission shall consider the extent to
140     which the flag adheres to the following established principles of good flag design:
141          (1) whether the flag is sufficiently simple that a child could draw the flag from
142     memory;
143          (2) whether the flag uses meaningful symbolism, including the use of:
144          (a) a main graphic element, giving preference to a single primary symbol; or
145          (b) meaningful colors, shapes, or layout of the parts of the flag;
146          (3) whether the flag uses two to three basic colors that:
147          (a) contrast well; and
148          (b) are varying shades of standard colors like red, blue, green, black, yellow, or white;
149          (4) whether the flag avoids writing or the use of a seal, including lettering or a seal that
150     is difficult to:
151          (a) see or read from a distance; or

152          (b) reduce to a smaller scale for use on a pin or graphic; and
153          (5) whether the flag is sufficiently distinctive to avoid duplicating other flags while
154     allowing for the use of similarities to represent connections.
155          Section 6. Section 63I-2-263 is amended to read:
156          63I-2-263. Repeal dates, Title 63A to Title 63N.
157          (1) On July 1, 2020:
158          (a) Subsection 63A-3-403(5)(a)(i) is repealed; and
159          (b) in Subsection 63A-3-403(5)(a)(ii), the language that states "appointed on or after
160     May 8, 2018," is repealed.
161          (2) Title 63C, Chapter 19, Higher Education Strategic Planning Commission is
162     repealed July 1, 2020.
163          (3) The following sections regarding the State Flag Review Commission are repealed
164     on July 1, 2020:
165          (a) Section 63G-1-801;
166          (b) Section 63G-1-802;
167          (c) Section 63G-1-803;
168          (d) Section 63G-1-804; and
169          (e) Section 63G-1-805.
170          [(3)] (4) Section 63H-7a-303 is repealed on July 1, 2022.
171          [(4)] (5) On July 1, 2019:
172          (a) in Subsection 63J-1-206(2)(c)(i), the language that states " Subsection(2)(c)(ii) and"
173     is repealed; and
174          (b) Subsection 63J-1-206(2)(c)(ii) is repealed.
175          [(5)] (6) Section 63J-4-708 is repealed January 1, 2023.
176          [(6)] (7) Subsection 63N-3-109(2)(f)(i)(B) is repealed July 1, 2020.
177          [(7)] (8) Section 63N-3-110 is repealed July 1, 2020.
178          Section 7. Effective date.
179          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
180     upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
181     Constitution, Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
182     the date of veto override.