SECTION 1.AMENDATORY25 O.S. 1991, Section 91, is amended to read as follows:
House Bill 2409 has been introduced in -- and now withdrawn from -- the 2000 legislative session (2nd Session of the 47th Legislature) to return the state flag to the design adopted in 1925. This change would remove the word "Oklahoma" from the flag.
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2nd Session of the 47th Legislature (2000)
| HOUSE BILL NO. 2409 | By: Bill Nations |
| An Act relating to the state flag; amending 25 O.S. 1991, Section 91, which relates to the design and adoption of a state flag; modifying the design of the state flag; requiring flags made after a certain date to comply with the design change; and providing an effective date. |
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1.AMENDATORY25 O.S. 1991, Section 91, is amended to read as follows:
Section 91.The banner, or flag, of the design prescribed by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 25, Third Legislature of the State of Oklahoma shall be, and it hereby is superseded and replaced by one of the following design, to wit:
A sky blue field with a circular rawhide shield of an American Indian Warrior, decorated with six painted crosses on the face thereof, the lower half of the shield to be fringed with seven pendant eagle feathers and superimposed upon the face of the shield a calumet or peace pipe, crossed at right angles by an olive branch, as illustrated by the design accompanying this resolution, and underneath said shield or design in white letters shall be placed the word "Oklahoma", Senate Joint Resolution No. 52 of the Tenth Oklahoma Legislature and the same is hereby adopted as the official flag and banner of the State of Oklahoma.
All state flags made after November 1, 2000, shall comply with the change made to the state flag pursuant to this act.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2000.
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Contact: State Rep. Bill Nations
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Contact: State Rep. Bill Nations
Nations Withdrawing Proposal To Change State Flag
Media Division
January 24, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Capitol: (405) 557-7323
Norman: (405) 321-0505
OKLAHOMA CITY -- A Cleveland County lawmaker believes Oklahomans should be confident enough to remove the state name from the state flag.
House Bill 2409 by Rep. Bill Nations would delete the word "Oklahoma"
from the state banner.
"We've got a distinctive flag with a distinctive symbol," the Norman Democrat said. "We don't need the state name on it. It's a sign of nsecurity."
The first Oklahoma State Flag, adopted in 1911 by the 3rd Legislature,
featured a red field centered by a five-pointed white star bordered in blue, with the number "46" imprinted in blue in the center of the star.
In 1925 the flag was redesigned, largely to its current appearance, by
the 10th Legislature. The new design featured a sky blue field with a circular rawhide shield of an American Indian warrior. The shield is decorated with painted crosses, and the lower half of the shield is fringed with seven pendant eagle feathers. Superimposed on the face of the shield is an Indian peace pipe (calumet) with a pipestone bowl and a tassel at the end; the pipe is crossed at a right angle by an olive branch, the white
man's emblem of peace.
The word "Oklahoma" was not added to the flag until the 18th Legislature decreed it in 1941.
"I think the elements on our flag make it as distinctive as the Lone
Star of Texas, and they don't include their state name on their flag," said Nations, a first-term legislator.
The state name appears in 29 state flags. However, in 11 of those the state name is embedded in the state seal or in a banner and thus is so small
it is barely detectable, Nations related.
HB 2409 has been assigned to the House Committee on Rules.
Media Division
February 2, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Capitol: (405) 557-7323
Norman: (405) 321-0505
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma flag will continue to bear the state's name, a legislator announced Wednesday.
Rep. Bill Nations said he is withdrawing his proposal to remove the state's
name from the flag.
"I said when I filed the bill that I'd listen to the citizens. And, to put
it succinctly, the people have spoken," Nations said. "I've been informed by many, many Oklahomans just how much they like the flag as it is. Therefore, I'm withdrawing the bill."
The Norman Democrat said he asked Rep. Russ Roach, House Rules Committee
chairman, to remove the measure from the committee's calendar.
"It's obvious the people want the world "Oklahoma" on the flag."
Nations said his intent was to take the flag back to its historic origins.
"I authored the bill for two reasons. One was artistic, the other historic. My idea was to take the flag back to its original, historic 1925 look before the name was added in 1941 as a result of political controversy."
Nations said he talked to representatives of the state's artistic community
who said words on a piece of art dilute the art. "That was my other reason. I wanted people to see the flag in the context of the original art and symbolism."
While the measure proved controversial, Nations said it did, in fact, show
just how much respect state residents have for their symbols.
"Oklahomans are a very proud people. When they look at their flag, they
know exactly what it represents. If people have that much love for our flag, then I'm sure not going to be the one to change it."
Nations said he was pleased by the "great feelings people have" about this
state and its symbols.
"I was worried earlier that having the state name on the flag might be a sign of insecurity left over from John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of
Wrath. I was wrong. It's not a sign of insecurity. It's a sense of pride. It's obvious the issue of art and history will have to take a back seat to the will of the people."
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