The state of Mississippi is one signature away from removing a state flag that prominently features the confederate battle flag.
Sunday evening the Senate advanced HB 1762, a measure that would replace the current flag with a design presented by an appointed committee an approved by voters. The measure passed 37-14 and now awaits signature from Governor Tate Reeves.
The bill stipulates a committee will be formed to design a new flag for the public to vote on during the General Election in November. The design committee will be comprised of nine members; three appointed by the Speaker of the House, three by the Lieutenant Governor, and three by the Governor. The Governor's appointees must be representatives from the Mississippi Economic Council, the Mississippi Arts Commission, and the Board of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
The committee must present a design to the Legislature by September 14, 2020 to be placed on the ballot for the November 3, 2020 election. If a majority of the electorate approve the design, the Legislature will officially adopt it during the 2021 session. If the design fails, the process will begin again, with a different design presented for vote during a November, 2021 special election.
