Utah Bans Most Flags, Including Pride, at Schools and Government Buildings
The Utah State Legislature approved a measure that bans the display of all but approved flags in schools and government buildings, a divisive move that civil rights groups have said will undermine free expression for L.G.B.T.Q. people and their supporters.
The measure, which became law on Thursday, allows only flags explicitly exempt from the ban — including the United States flag, the Utah state flag and military flags — to be displayed. Other flags, such as the Pride flag and those supporting political causes, will be barred from being flown at government buildings.
The new law is one of the most restrictive passed by a state to govern the display of flags, in what has become a polarizing debate largely focused on the Pride flag and other expressions of L.G.B.T.Q. support.
Other states, such as Idaho, have passed restrictions on the display of flags in schools, while lawmakers in Florida are considering similar proposals. Supporters of the measure have framed it as a way to make schools and government buildings less political.
'Tax payer funded entities shouldn't be promoting political agendas,' Trevor Lee, a Republican lawmaker who sponsored the bill, said on social media on Friday. 'This is a massive win for Utah.'
In a letter on Thursday, Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, said he had 'serious concerns' about the bill. He said he had allowed it to become law without his signature because his veto would have been overridden.
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