By Hunter, Van de Putte                                H.B. No. 686

         75R61(1) MCK                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the designation and use of certain symbols of the State

 1-3     of Texas.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Article 6139b, Revised Statutes,

 1-6     is amended to read as follows:

 1-7           (b)  The pledge of allegiance to the state flag should be

 1-8     rendered by all present except those in uniform by standing at

 1-9     attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart.

1-10     Individuals who are not in uniform and who are wearing a headdress

1-11     that is easily removeable should remove their headdress with their

1-12     right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, with the hand over the

1-13     heart.  Individuals in uniform should remain silent, face the flag,

1-14     and render the military salute.  Individuals who are not citizens

1-15     of this state should remain silent and stand at attention.

1-16           SECTION 2.  Article 6139d, Revised Statutes, is amended to

1-17     read as follows:

1-18           Art. 6139d.  FLAG OF THE GOVERNOR.  (a)  The flag of the

1-19     governor is the 1839 pilot flag of the Republic of Texas.

1-20           (b)  The flag of the governor consists of a rectangle with a

1-21     width-to-length ratio of two to three containing:

1-22                 (1)  one white horizontal stripe and one red horizontal

1-23     stripe, each constituting one-fourth of the entire width of the

1-24     flag, and one blue horizontal stripe constituting one-half the

 2-1     entire width of the flag, arranged with white at the top, blue in

 2-2     the middle, and red at the bottom; and

 2-3                 (2)  a white, regular five-pointed star in the center

 2-4     of the blue stripe, oriented so that one point of the star points

 2-5     directly upward, and of a size that the diameter of a circle

 2-6     passing through the five points of the star is equal to

 2-7     three-fourths of the width of the blue stripe.

 2-8           (c) The red and blue colors of the flag of the governor are

 2-9     the same colors used in the state flag.

2-10           (d)  When displayed permanently mounted on a staff, as for

2-11     indoor or parade use, the flag of the governor may be decorated

2-12     with gold fringe and the staff may be decorated with gold cords and

2-13     tassels.

2-14           (e)  When the flag of the governor is displayed on a staff,

2-15     the staff should be at least 2-1/2 times as long as the flag's

2-16     hoist, and the flag should be attached to the staff's peak.  The

2-17     staff's finial should be either a lone star or a spearhead.

2-18           (f)  The governor may prescribe any changes relating to the

2-19     description or display of the flag of the governor that the

2-20     governor considers appropriate.  [The governor may adopt a flag for

2-21     the governor's official use.]  The governor shall set forth any

2-22     changes [the description of the flag] in an executive order

2-23     published in the Texas Register.

2-24           SECTION 3.  Title 106, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding

2-25     Article 6139g to read as follows:

2-26           Art. 6139g.  STATE MOTTO.  The state motto is "Friendship."

2-27           SECTION 4.  Title 106, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding

 3-1     Article 6139h to read as follows:

 3-2           Art. 6139h.  STATE BIRD.  The state bird is the mockingbird.

 3-3           SECTION 5.  Title 106, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding

 3-4     Article 6139i to read as follows:

 3-5           Art. 6139i.  STATE FLOWER.  The state flower is the

 3-6     bluebonnet.

 3-7           SECTION 6.  Article 6143, Revised Statutes, is renumbered and

 3-8     amended to read as follows:

 3-9           Art. 6139j [6143]. STATE TREE.  The state tree is the pecan

3-10     tree [Pecan Tree shall be the State tree of Texas and it shall be

3-11     the  duty of the State Board of Control and the State Parks Board

3-12     to give due consideration to the Pecan Tree when planning

3-13     beautification of State Parks or other public property belonging to

3-14     the State].

3-15           SECTION 7.  It is the intent of the legislature that the

3-16     General Services Commission, the Parks and Wildlife Department, and

3-17     other state agencies continue to give due consideration to the

3-18     state tree when planning beautification of state parks or other

3-19     public property.

3-20           SECTION 8.  The importance of this legislation and the

3-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.