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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to display of the Honor and Remember flag. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 2165, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2165.0065 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2165.0065. DISPLAY OF HONOR AND REMEMBER FLAG. (a) In |
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this section, "Honor and Remember flag" means the Honor and |
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Remember, Inc., flag. |
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(b) The Honor and Remember flag shall be displayed at each |
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state office building, at the State Cemetery under Section |
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2165.256, and at each veterans cemetery managed by the Veterans' |
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Land Board on: |
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(1) the third Saturday in May, "Armed Forces Day"; |
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(2) the last Monday in May, "Memorial Day"; |
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(3) the 14th day of June, "Flag Day"; |
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(4) the fourth day of July, "Independence Day"; |
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(5) the 11th day of November, "Veterans Day"; |
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(6) "National POW/MIA Recognition Day"; |
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(7) the last Sunday in September, "Gold Star Mother's |
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Day"; and |
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(8) any date on which a resident of this state is |
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killed while serving on active duty in the armed forces of the |
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United States. |
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(c) If a facility to which Subsection (b) applies will not |
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have staff available to display the Honor and Remember flag on the |
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day provided by Subsection (b), the facility's staff shall display |
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the flag on the last preceding day the staff is available and leave |
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the flag on display on the day provided by Subsection (b). |
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SECTION 2. The Honor and Remember flag is designated as the |
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symbol of our state's concern and commitment to honoring and |
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remembering the lives of all members of the United States armed |
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forces who have lost their lives while serving or as a result of |
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service and their families. |
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SECTION 3. The Honor and Remember flag's red field |
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represents the blood shed by brave men and women who sacrificed |
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their lives for freedom, and the flag's white border recognizes the |
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purity of that sacrifice. The flag's blue star is a symbol of |
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active service in military conflict that dates back to World War I. |
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The flag's gold star signifies the ultimate sacrifice of a warrior |
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in active service who is not returning home and reflects the value |
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of the life given. The folded flag element highlights this nation's |
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final tribute to a fallen service member and a family's sacrifice. |
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The flag's flame symbolizes the eternal spirit of the departed. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |