81R5632 EAH-F By: Dunnam H.B. No. 2500 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the governor's flag. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 401.104, Government Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 401.104. GOVERNOR'S FLAG. (a) The governor's [governor may adopt a] flag is the 1839 pilot flag of the Republic of Texas [for the governor's official use]. (b) The governor's flag consists of a rectangle with a width-to-length ratio of two to three containing: (1) one white horizontal stripe and one red horizontal stripe, each constituting one-fourth of the entire width of the flag, and one blue horizontal stripe constituting one-half the entire width of the flag, arranged with white at the top, blue in the middle, and red at the bottom; and (2) a white, regular five-pointed star in the center of the blue stripe, oriented so that one point of the star points directly upward, and of a size that the diameter of a circle passing through the five points of the star is equal to three-fourths of the width of the blue stripe. (c) The red and blue colors of the governor's flag are the same colors used in the state flag. (d) When displayed permanently mounted on a staff, as for indoor or parade use, the governor's flag may be decorated with gold fringe and the staff may be decorated with gold cords and tassels. (e) When the governor's flag is displayed on a staff, the staff should be at least 2-1/2 times as long as the flag's hoist, and the flag should be attached to the staff's peak. The staff's finial should be either a lone star or a spearhead. (f) The governor may prescribe any changes relating to the description or display of the governor's flag that the governor considers appropriate. [By executive order published in the Texas Register, the governor shall provide a description of a flag adopted under this section.] SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.