1-1 By: Duncan S.B. No. 483
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 11, 1999; February 15, 1999,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
1-4 March 22, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9,
1-5 Nays 0; March 22, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to procedures for retirement of the Texas flag.
1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10 SECTION 1. The Texas Flag Code (Article 6139c, Revised
1-11 Statutes) is amended by adding Section 6 to read as follows:
1-12 Sec. 6. (a) A state flag, when it is no longer used or
1-13 useful as an emblem for display, should be destroyed, preferably by
1-14 burning, in a ceremony or other dignified way that emphasizes its
1-15 honor as a fitting emblem for this state.
1-16 (b) A retirement ceremony for a state flag should be
1-17 conducted with the honor and respect inherent in the traditions of
1-18 this state. While the state flag may be retired in a private
1-19 ceremony, it is encouraged that a retirement be a public ceremony
1-20 under the direction of uniformed personnel representing a state or
1-21 national military service or a patriotic society.
1-22 (c) During a retirement ceremony, a person in uniform should
1-23 render the military salute at the appropriate time as designated by
1-24 the ceremony. A nonuniformed individual present should stand at
1-25 attention with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform,
1-26 an individual who is wearing a headdress that is easily removable
1-27 should remove the headdress with the right hand and hold the
1-28 headdress at the left shoulder, with the right hand over the heart.
1-29 An individual who is not a citizen of this state should stand at
1-30 attention.
1-31 (d) In a retirement ceremony in which the flag is to be
1-32 either burned or buried, the flag may be retired as a whole or the
1-33 colors of the flag may be separated for individual dedication, with
1-34 the separation taking place immediately before the retirement and
1-35 dedication ceremony.
1-36 (e) The official retirement ceremony for the state flag
1-37 encouraged for public use is:
1-38 I am your Texas flag!
1-39 I was born December 10, 1836.
1-40 I am the only flag of an American state that has also
1-41 served as the symbol of an independent nation--The
1-42 Republic of Texas.
1-43 While you may honor me in retirement, the spirit I
1-44 represent will never retire!
1-45 I represent the spirit of Texas--Yesterday, Today, and
1-46 Tomorrow!
1-47 I represent the bravery of the Alamo and the Victory at
1-48 San Jacinto.
1-49 My spirit rode with the Texas Rangers in the streets of
1-50 old El Paso and herding cattle through the Fort Worth
1-51 stockyards. I have sailed up Galveston Bay.
1-52 My colors are in the waters of the Red River and in the
1-53 Bluebonnets of the Texas Hill Country.
1-54 You'll find my spirit at the Light House of Palo Duro
1-55 and in the sands of Padre Island;
1-56 I am in the space station at Houston and atop the oil
1-57 wells of West Texas.
1-58 From the expanse of the Big Bend to the Riverwalk of
1-59 San Antone--all of Texas is my home!
1-60 I wave over the cotton and grain fields of the High
1-61 Plains, and I am deep in the rich soil of the Rio
1-62 Grande Valley.
1-63 I am proudly displayed under the Capitol Dome, and I
1-64 fly high above the concrete canyons of downtown Dallas.
2-1 You'll find my spirit in the East Texas piney woods and
2-2 along the Grandeur of the Rio Grande.
2-3 I represent Texas--every Child, Woman, and Man!
2-4 The blue field in me stands for the valor of our
2-5 ancestors in the battles for our country.
2-6 Let us retire the blue--Salute!
2-7 My white field stands for the purity in all our Texas
2-8 hearts! It represents the honor that each of us should
2-9 pay to our state each day.
2-10 Let us retire the white--Salute!
2-11 The red is for all of the men and women who have died
2-12 in service of our state--whether as members of the
2-13 armed services or as citizen Samaritans.
2-14 Let us retire the red--Salute!
2-15 My lone, independent star is recognized worldwide
2-16 because it represents ALL of Texas and stands for our
2-17 unity as one for God, State, and Country.
2-18 Let us retire the lone star--Salute!
2-19 Join in the pledge to the Texas Flag:
2-20 "Honor the Texas Flag; I Pledge Allegiance to thee,
2-21 Texas, One and Indivisible."
2-22 SECTION 2. Subsections (ff) and (gg), Section 3, Texas Flag
2-23 Code (Article 6139c, Revised Statutes), are amended to read as
2-24 follows:
2-25 (ff) [The state flag, when it is in such a condition that it
2-26 is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a
2-27 dignified way, preferably by burning.]
2-28 [(gg)] During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the state
2-29 flag or when the state flag is passing in a parade or in review,
2-30 all individuals present except those in uniform should face the
2-31 state flag and stand at attention with the right hand over the
2-32 heart. Those present in uniform should render the military salute.
2-33 When not in uniform, individuals who are wearing a headdress that
2-34 is easily removeable should remove their headdress with their right
2-35 hand and hold it at the left shoulder, with the hand over the
2-36 heart. Individuals who are not citizens of this state should stand
2-37 at attention. The salute to the state flag in a moving column
2-38 should be rendered at the moment the state flag passes.
2-39 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-40 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-41 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-42 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-43 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-44 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-45 passage, and it is so enacted.
2-46 * * * * *