|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the pledge of allegiance to the state flag during a |
|
state flag retirement ceremony. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 3100.152(d), Government Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(d) The official retirement ceremony for the state flag |
|
encouraged for public use is: |
|
I am your Texas flag! |
|
I was born January 25, 1839. |
|
I am one of only two flags of an American state that has also served |
|
as the symbol of an independent nation--The Republic of Texas. |
|
While you may honor me in retirement, the spirit I represent will |
|
never retire! |
|
I represent the spirit of Texas--Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow! |
|
I represent the bravery of the Alamo and the Victory at San Jacinto. |
|
My spirit rode with the Texas Rangers over the Forts Trail of the |
|
Big Country and herded cattle through the Fort Worth stockyards. I |
|
have sailed up Galveston Bay and kept a watchful eye over our El |
|
Paso del Norte. |
|
My colors are in the waters of the Red River and in the Bluebonnets |
|
of the Texas Hill Country. |
|
You'll find my spirit at the Light House of Palo Duro and in the |
|
sands of Padre Island; |
|
I am in the space station at Houston and atop the oil wells of West |
|
Texas. |
|
From the expanse of the Big Bend to the Riverwalk of San Antone--all |
|
of Texas is my home! |
|
I wave over the cotton and grain fields of the High Plains, and I am |
|
deep in the rich soil of the Rio Grande Valley. |
|
I am proudly displayed under the Capitol Dome, and I fly high above |
|
the concrete canyons of downtown Dallas. |
|
You'll find my spirit in the East Texas piney woods and along the |
|
Grandeur of the Rio Grande. |
|
I represent Texas--every Child, Woman, and Man! |
|
The blue field in me stands for the valor of our ancestors in the |
|
battles for our country. |
|
Let us retire the blue--Salute! |
|
My white field stands for the purity in all our Texas hearts! It |
|
represents the honor that each of us should pay to our state each |
|
day. |
|
Let us retire the white--Salute! |
|
The red is for all of the men and women who have died in service of |
|
our state--whether as members of the armed services or as citizen |
|
Samaritans. |
|
Let us retire the red--Salute! |
|
My lone, independent star is recognized worldwide because it |
|
represents ALL of Texas and stands for our unity as one for God, |
|
State, and Country. |
|
Let us retire the lone star--Salute! |
|
Join in the pledge to the Texas flag: |
|
"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one |
|
state under God, one and indivisible." |
|
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, 2011. |