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House State Affairs gives due-pass recommendation to HB 96, limiting flags displayed on government property
Summary
The committee voted to send House Bill 96 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. Sponsor Rep. Heather Scott said the bill would allow only certain official flags on government property; two members were recorded as voting no.
Representative Heather Scott introduced House Bill 96 to the House State Affairs Committee, saying the bill would limit which flags government entities may display on government property. "Specifically the flags that we're allowing them to fly would be The United States flags, state flags, military flags, POW or MIA flags or the official flags of the Government itself," Scott said; the sponsor also asked rhetorically about tribal flags during her description.
Scott said government buildings "should represent all Idahoans and not be used for political or social movements" and that the measure would preserve neutrality for government-owned property while not restricting private parties from displaying flags on private property. She cited recent federal guidance on flag displays at U.S. embassies as a comparable action.
The committee heard two supporters in public testimony. Lynn Bradescue (District 19 GOP chair) provided photos of flags flown on public property and said the First Amendment requires government neutrality: "If we open the door to flag displays for 1 cause we must legally allow all viewpoints, including those that many would find offensive or divisive," Bradescue said and urged a due-pass recommendation. Thad Butterworth (county Republican chair) said his party debated a similar resolution and the committee's action would keep public spaces neutral.
Representative Scogg moved that the committee send HB 96 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; the transcript records two members as voting no and being recorded on the motion: Representative Shubin and Representative Achilles. The chair announced the motion carried and the bill was recommended to the floor with a due-pass recommendation.
The transcript contains no recorded public opposition testimony. The committee did not debate amendments on the floor of the committee; it advanced the bill to the full House for further consideration.
