For the second straight year, Speaker Pro-Tempore of the Mississippi House of Representatives Greg Snowden (R) has introduced a bill that, instead of replacing the current design of the state flag, would add a second state flag featuring the magnolia design.
In a debate that many across the state feel strongly about, this bill could provide a compromise as it says that the current design and the new flag would be of equal status and could be flown either together or separately.
HB 372 states:
“that each of the designs of the official flag will be of equal status and dignity in representing the state of Mississippi, and each design may be flown individually as the official flag, or they may be flown together; and for related purposes.”
The Mississippi Magnolia Flag was the official state flag from 1861-1865 before being replaced.
The current flag design, which features the controversial Confederate symbol, was adopted in 1894 and voted on by the people of Mississippi in 2001 to remain unchanged.
The result of the vote showed 64 percent of Mississippians were in favor of keeping the current design, but the conversation surrounding the flag has resurfaced and intensified in the past few years.
Snowden’s bill from last year, HB 1275, died in committee which is where HB 372 currently sits.
