The process to change the Mississippi state flag is officially underway.
The House Rules Committee has passed HCR 79, sending the resolution to suspend the rules to the House floor with the intent of removing the Confederate Battle emblem from Mississippi’s flag.
This action signifies that the House has the necessary votes to achieve the 2/3 majority needed to advance the measure.
During the introduction of the resolution, it was explained that the forthcoming bill would remove the current state flag immediately and establish a commission to design a new state flag with two stipulations – no Confederate battle emblem and it must include the phrase ‘In God We Trust.’
That design would be submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office by September 14th and placed on the ballot for the people of Mississippi to vote on in November. If the design doesn’t receive a majority of the vote, a new design would be drawn up and voted upon.
If the House votes to advance the resolution, the Senate must reach the same 2/3 threshold to suspend the rules. If the votes are there in the Senate, lawmakers can then introduce a bill that could either decommission the current flag, change it outright or place a referendum on the ballot in November.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
