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Bill to designate old Minnesota flag as 'historic' sparks debate over where it should be displayed
Summary
Representative Michael McDonald proposed designating Minnesota's prior state flag as the "historic state flag;" committee members debated whether the law should require the flag to be flown on state buildings and who should set manufacturing and display standards.
Representative Michael McDonald introduced House File 10 25 on March 13 to designate the state's former flag as the "historic state flag" and to authorize officials to display it, prompting debate among committee members about where and when the old flag should be flown.
Representative McDonald said the measure preserves the historic flag and allows civic leaders to fly it alongside the current flag. "It would show the respect that the old flag... deserves," said Representative Bjorn Olsen, a co-author and history scholar, who added the bill is intended to "run a fine line" between preserving history and not politicizing it.
Representative Freiburg moved an A1 amendment to retain the historic designation but remove any requirement that the old flag be flown on state buildings and state holidays; Freiburg's amendment also preserved citizens' ability to display the flag. Freiburg said she had reviewed a similar Utah law and cited concerns about the old flag's problematic imagery of Indigenous Minnesotans present in the state seal depicted on the old flag.
Representative Olsen opposed removing displays from state buildings, noting that placing the flag in institutional display (for example, at the Minnesota Historical Society) is part of preserving history and that removing it from state buildings would risk relegating the flag to storage.
Committee action and procedural details: Representative Freiburg moved the A1 amendment; a voice vote occurred. The transcript records "All in favor of the A1? Aye. Those opposed? Nay." The clerk announced "The adopt the amendment is not adopted." The author requested a "no" vote on the amendment and the original bill was then left on the table for further work; the chair and members discussed possible changes to designate the secretary of state rather than the lieutenant governor to set standards for manufacturing and display.
Ending: Representative McDonald said he would work with colleagues on language tweaks, including considering Representative Freiburg's suggestion to assign the secretary of state responsibility for standards, and the committee laid the bill over.
