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Panel advances bill to ban display of pride flags in schools; members express sharp disagreement
Summary
Representative Boleso’s HB 14-74 would bar pride flags and prescribed emblems from schools and government buildings; lawmakers exchanged heated remarks over the bill’s intent and scope before advancing it to Judiciary (16-6).
The committee considered HB 14-74, a bill the sponsor framed as removing "political flags" from classrooms and government buildings. Representative Boleso told the committee the bill addresses complaints from parents and would "prohibit, pride flags, pride emblems from being displayed in school buildings or other government buildings." The sponsor said the bill also bans adopting a pride-month observance in school.
Opponents described the measure as divisive. Representative Mitchell said the bill was an example of repeated "hate bills," and Representative Dixie questioned the need for the change if agencies already followed similar practices. Representative Salinas raised concerns about how the legislation would differentiate between a rainbow used as a religious or memorial symbol and an LGBTQ pride flag; the sponsor responded that the bill's definitions (for example, the rainbow as horizontal stripes) and explicit subsections for the transgender flag provide specificity.
After debate and multiple procedural steps, the committee moved HB 14-74 to Judiciary by recorded vote (16 ayes, 6 nos). The sponsor and opponents provided detailed policy rationales; the committee did not adopt amendments during the hearing.
