GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2025

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 244

 

 

Short Title:      Depoliticize Government Property Act.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Representatives Echevarria, N. Jackson, B. Jones, and Biggs (Primary Sponsors).

For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.

Referred to:

Judiciary 1, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

March 3, 2025

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT ONLY CERTAIN GOVERNMENTAL FLAGS May be flown or displayed on property owned or leased by the State or a political subdivision of the state.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Chapter 144 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 144‑7.1.  Display of official governmental flags on State and local government property.

(a)        Only the following governmental flags may be flown or displayed on property owned or leased by the State or a political subdivision of the State:

(1)        The flag of the United States of America.

(2)        The flag of the State of North Carolina.

(3)        The flag of a county, city, or other governmental agency, school, or other educational facility.

(4)        The flag of any military branch of the United States of America.

(5)        The Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) flag.

(6)        The Honor and Remember flag.

(7)        The flag of nations recognized by the United States of America during a visit by the nation's head of state or national delegation.

(b)        A governmental flag shall be flown or displayed according to the patriotic customs set forth in 4 U.S.C. §§ 5‑10, as amended. For purposes of this section, the term "displayed" means the governmental flag or an image of the governmental flag is placed anywhere on the premises of the property owned or leased by the State or political subdivision of the State, including the walls of a facility, employee breakroom, and sidewalks.

(c)        Any person violating the provisions of this section, including a second or subsequent violation, shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 144‑7 reads as rewritten:

"§ 144‑7.  Display of official governmental flags; public restrictions.flags on private property.

(a)        A county, city, consolidated city‑county, or unified government shall not prohibit an official governmental flag from being flown or displayed if the official governmental flag is flown or displayed:

(1)        In accordance with the patriotic customs set forth in 4 U.S.C. §§ 5‑10, as amended; and

(2)        Upon private or public property with the consent of either the owner of the property or of any person having lawful control of the property.

…."

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.