76R13206 MXM-D
By Culberson H.B. No. 2997
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2997:
By Elkins C.S.H.B. No. 2997
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the recognition of certain symbols of the State of
1-3 Texas and to the designation of various recognition days.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subsection (d), Article 6139a, Revised Statutes,
1-6 is amended to read as follows:
1-7 (d) The red and blue colors of the state flag are the same
1-8 colors used in the United States flag and are defined as numbers
1-9 193 [80108] (red) and 281 [80075] (dark blue) of the Pantone
1-10 Matching System [The Standard Color Reference of America, 10th
1-11 edition].
1-12 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Article 6139b, Revised Statutes,
1-13 is amended to read as follows:
1-14 (b) The pledge of allegiance to the state flag should be
1-15 rendered by all present except those in uniform by standing at
1-16 attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart.
1-17 Individuals who are not in uniform and who are wearing a headdress
1-18 that is easily removeable should remove their headdress with their
1-19 right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, with the hand over the
1-20 heart. Individuals in uniform should remain silent, face the flag,
1-21 and render the military salute. Individuals who are not citizens
1-22 of this state should remain silent and stand at attention.
1-23 SECTION 3. Sections 3(d) and (s), Article 6139c, Revised
1-24 Statutes, are amended to read as follows:
2-1 (d) The state flag should be displayed on all state and
2-2 national holidays and on special occasions of historical
2-3 significance. Texas Flag Day shall be celebrated on March 2, Texas
2-4 Independence Day.
2-5 (s) The state flag, when flown at half-staff, should be
2-6 first hoisted to the peak of the flagpole for an instant and then
2-7 lowered to the half-staff position. The state flag should be again
2-8 raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial
2-9 Day the state flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon
2-10 only, then raised to the peak of the flagpole. The state flag
2-11 should be displayed at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day
2-12 (May 15), unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. By order of
2-13 the governor, the state flag shall be flown at half-staff on the
2-14 death of an individual as a mark of respect to the individual's
2-15 memory.
2-16 SECTION 4. Article 6139d, Revised Statutes, is amended to
2-17 read as follows:
2-18 Art. 6139d. FLAG OF THE GOVERNOR. (a) The flag of the
2-19 governor is the 1839 pilot flag of the Republic of Texas.
2-20 (b) The flag of the governor consists of a rectangle with a
2-21 width-to-length ratio of two to three containing:
2-22 (1) one white horizontal stripe and one red horizontal
2-23 stripe, each constituting one-fourth of the entire width of the
2-24 flag, and one blue horizontal stripe constituting one-half the
2-25 entire width of the flag, arranged with white at the top, blue in
2-26 the middle, and red at the bottom; and
2-27 (2) a white, regular five-pointed star in the center
3-1 of the blue stripe, oriented so that one point of the star points
3-2 directly upward, and of a size that the diameter of a circle
3-3 passing through the five points of the star is equal to
3-4 three-fourths of the width of the blue stripe.
3-5 (c) The red and blue colors of the flag of the governor are
3-6 the same colors used in the state flag.
3-7 (d) When displayed permanently mounted on a staff, as for
3-8 indoor or parade use, the flag of the governor may be decorated
3-9 with gold fringe and the staff may be decorated with gold cords and
3-10 tassels.
3-11 (e) When the flag of the governor is displayed on a staff,
3-12 the staff should be at least 2-1/2 times as long as the flag's
3-13 hoist, and the flag should be attached to the staff's peak. The
3-14 staff's finial should be either a lone star or a spearhead.
3-15 (f) The governor may prescribe any changes relating to the
3-16 description or display of the flag of the governor that the
3-17 governor considers appropriate. [The governor may adopt a flag for
3-18 the governor's official use.] The governor shall set forth any
3-19 changes [the description of the flag] in an executive order
3-20 published in the Texas Register.
3-21 SECTION 5. Title 106, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
3-22 Article 6139g to read as follows:
3-23 Art. 6139g. STATE MOTTO. The state motto is "Friendship."
3-24 SECTION 6. Title 106, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
3-25 Article 6139h to read as follows:
3-26 Art. 6139h. STATE BIRD. The state bird is the mockingbird.
3-27 SECTION 7. Title 106, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
4-1 Article 6139i to read as follows:
4-2 Art. 6139i. STATE FLOWER. The state flower is the
4-3 bluebonnet.
4-4 SECTION 8. Article 6143, Revised Statutes, is renumbered and
4-5 amended to read as follows:
4-6 Art. 6139j [6143]. STATE TREE. The state tree is the pecan
4-7 tree [Pecan Tree shall be the State tree of Texas and it shall be
4-8 the duty of the State Board of Control and the State Parks Board to
4-9 give due consideration to the Pecan Tree when planning
4-10 beautification of State Parks or other public property belonging to
4-11 the State].
4-12 SECTION 9. Subchapter C, Chapter 662, Government Code, is
4-13 amended by adding Sections 662.046-662.049 to read as follows:
4-14 Sec. 662.046. LAMAR DAY. (a) January 26 is Lamar Day in
4-15 memory of Mirabeau B. Lamar, the second president of the Republic
4-16 of Texas and the father of Texas education.
4-17 (b) Lamar Day shall be regularly observed by appropriate
4-18 programs in the public schools and other places to commemorate the
4-19 Act of January 26, 1839, first proposed by President Lamar, that
4-20 set aside land for public schools and two universities.
4-21 Sec. 662.047. SAM HOUSTON DAY. (a) March 2 is Sam Houston
4-22 Day in memory of Sam Houston, the hero of San Jacinto, first
4-23 president of the Republic of Texas, United States senator, and
4-24 governor of Texas.
4-25 (b) Sam Houston Day shall be regularly observed by
4-26 appropriate programs in the public schools and other places to
4-27 commemorate General Houston's victory at San Jacinto.
5-1 Sec. 662.048. ALAMO HEROES DAY. (a) March 6 is Alamo
5-2 Heroes Day in memory of James Bowie, David Crockett, William B.
5-3 Travis, and the other brave Texans who for 13 fateful days defended
5-4 the Alamo.
5-5 (b) Alamo Heroes Day shall be regularly observed by
5-6 appropriate and patriotic programs in the public schools and other
5-7 places to honor the memory of the valiant men who gave their lives
5-8 for Texas independence.
5-9 Sec. 662.049. LORENZO DE ZAVALA DAY. (a) October 3 is
5-10 Lorenzo de Zavala Day in memory of Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de
5-11 Zavala y Saenz, first vice president of the Republic of Texas,
5-12 drafter of the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, newspaper
5-13 editor, physician, member of the Spanish Cortes, Mexican deputy and
5-14 senator, governor of the state of Mexico, Mexican minister of the
5-15 treasury, Texas empresario, Mexican minister to France, member of
5-16 the Texas 1835 Permanent Council, and representative from
5-17 Harrisburg in the Texas 1835 Consultation and the Convention of
5-18 1836.
5-19 (b) Lorenzo de Zavala Day shall be regularly observed by
5-20 appropriate programs in the public schools and other places to
5-21 commemorate the birthday of this great Texan.
5-22 SECTION 10. It is the intent of the legislature that the
5-23 General Services Commission, the Parks and Wildlife Department, and
5-24 other state agencies continue to give due consideration to the
5-25 state tree and the state flower when planning beautification of
5-26 state parks or other public property.
5-27 SECTION 11. The importance of this legislation and the
6-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.