83R23738 BEF-D
By: Miller of Fort Bend, Zedler, Harless, H.B. No. 3077
Menendez, Riddle
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to display of the Honor and Remember flag.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 2165, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 2165.0065 to read as follows:
Sec. 2165.0065. DISPLAY OF HONOR AND REMEMBER FLAG. (a) In
this section, "Honor and Remember flag" means the Honor and
Remember, Inc., flag.
(b) The Honor and Remember flag shall be displayed at each
state office building, at the State Cemetery under Section
2165.256, and at each veterans cemetery managed by the Veterans'
Land Board on:
(1) the third Saturday in May, "Armed Forces Day";
(2) the last Monday in May, "Memorial Day";
(3) the 14th day of June, "Flag Day";
(4) the fourth day of July, "Independence Day";
(5) the 11th day of November, "Veterans Day";
(6) "National POW/MIA Recognition Day";
(7) the last Sunday in September, "Gold Star Mother's
Day"; and
(8) any date on which a resident of this state is
killed while serving on active duty in the armed forces of the
United States.
(c) If a facility to which Subsection (b) applies will not
have staff available to display the Honor and Remember flag on the
day provided by Subsection (b), the facility's staff shall display
the flag on the last preceding day the staff is available and leave
the flag on display on the day provided by Subsection (b).
SECTION 2. The Honor and Remember flag is designated as the
symbol of our state's concern and commitment to honoring and
remembering the lives of all members of the United States armed
forces who have lost their lives while serving or as a result of
service and their families.
SECTION 3. The Honor and Remember flag's red field
represents the blood shed by brave men and women who sacrificed
their lives for freedom, and the flag's white border recognizes the
purity of that sacrifice. The flag's blue star is a symbol of
active service in military conflict that dates back to World War I.
The flag's gold star signifies the ultimate sacrifice of a warrior
in active service who is not returning home and reflects the value
of the life given. The folded flag element highlights this nation's
final tribute to a fallen service member and a family's sacrifice.
The flag's flame symbolizes the eternal spirit of the departed.
SECTION 4. 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, 2013.