Text of ID H 561 (2026)

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 561 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AN ACT 1 RELATING TO STATE GOVERNMENT AND STATE AFFAIRS; AMENDING SECTION 67-2303A, 2 IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE PROVISIONS REGARDING FLAGS FLOWN BY A GOVERNMEN- 3 TAL ENTITY, TO REMOVE PROVISIONS REGARDING FLAGS FLOWN BY A GOVERNMEN- 4 TAL ENTITY, TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION, TO PROVIDE A PENALTY, AND TO ES- 5 TABLISH PROVISIONS REGARDING ENFORCEMENT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL; AND 6 DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. 7 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho: 8 SECTION 1. That Section 67-2303A, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby 9 amended to read as follows: 10 67-2303A. FLAGS -- PROPER PROTOCOL. (1) As used in this section, "gov- 11 ernmental entity" means the state of Idaho or any county, municipality, spe- 12 cial district, or any other political subdivision or governmental instru- 13 mentality of or within the state other than a school, college, or university. 14 Property of a governmental entity includes land owned and maintained by the 15 governmental entity, including buildings, adjoining land, parks, roads, and 16 boulevards. 17 (2) A governmental entity shall not display a flag on its property other 18 than the following: 19 (a) The United States flag; 20 (b) The official flag of a governmental entity as defined in this sec- 21 tion; 22 (c) (b) Official flags of any state in the United States and the offi- 23 cial city or county flag as established prior to January 1, 2023; 24 (d) (c) Official flags of any of the military branches and units of the 25 United States; 26 (e) (d) The POW/MIA flag as provided for in section 67-2303, Idaho Code; 27 (f) (e) Official flags of recognized Indian tribes; 28 (g) (f) Official flags of countries other than the United States to 29 commemorate special occasions, but excluding countries with which the 30 United States is engaged in hostile action; and 31 (h) Official flags of Idaho colleges, universities, and public 32 schools. 33 (g) The official flag of an Idaho college or university, if it has des- 34 ignated by official policy exactly one (1) official flag. 35 (3) The provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to 36 any temporary parade or assembly on the property of a governmental entity. 37 (3) (4) The division of veterans services is hereby authorized to pro- 38 mulgate rules directing the proper protocol for the location and display of 39 flags flown on state property. 40 2 (5) A governmental entity that fails to comply with the provisions of 1 this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of two thousand dollars 2 ($2,000) per flag for each day such flag is displayed. 3 (6) The attorney general shall have the duty to enforce this section 4 against a governmental entity. Before initiating a civil action against a 5 governmental entity, the attorney general shall advise the governmental en- 6 tity in writing of the violation and, if the governmental entity has not al- 7 ready been advised of a substantially similar violation, allow the govern- 8 mental entity ten (10) days to cure the violation. If the violation is cured 9 within ten (10) days, the governmental entity shall not be subject to civil 10 penalties for the violation. If the violation is not cured within ten (10) 11 days, or if the governmental entity is not entitled to an opportunity to cure 12 based on the commission of a substantially similar violation, the attorney 13 general shall have the authority to file a civil action in the district court 14 of the county in which the governmental entity is located to enjoin the gov- 15 ernmental entity from violating the provisions of this section and to re- 16 cover civil penalties accruing from the first day of violation. If the at- 17 torney general prevails in such action, the court shall award the attorney 18 general all attorney's fees incurred in bringing the action. 19 SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby 20 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its 21 passage and approval. 22

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 561, As Amended, As Amended in the Senate BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AN ACT 1 RELATING TO STATE GOVERNMENT AND STATE AFFAIRS; AMENDING SECTION 67-2303A, 2 IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE PROVISIONS REGARDING FLAGS FLOWN BY A GOVERNMEN- 3 TAL ENTITY, TO REMOVE PROVISIONS REGARDING FLAGS FLOWN BY A GOVERNMEN- 4 TAL ENTITY, TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION, TO PROVIDE A PENALTY, AND TO ES- 5 TABLISH PROVISIONS REGARDING ENFORCEMENT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL; AND 6 DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. 7 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho: 8 SECTION 1. That Section 67-2303A, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby 9 amended to read as follows: 10 67-2303A. FLAGS -- PROPER PROTOCOL. (1) As used in this section, "gov- 11 ernmental entity" means the state of Idaho or any county, municipality, spe- 12 cial district, or any other political subdivision or governmental instru- 13 mentality of or within the state other than a school, college, or university. 14 Property of a governmental entity includes land owned and maintained by the 15 governmental entity, including buildings, adjoining land, parks, roads, and 16 boulevards. 17 (2) A governmental entity shall not display a flag on its property other 18 than the following: 19 (a) The United States flag; 20 (b) The official flag of a governmental entity as defined in this sec- 21 tion; 22 (c) (b) Official flags of any state in the United States and the offi- 23 cial city or county flag as established prior to January 1, 2023; 24 (d) (c) Official flags of any of the military branches and units of the 25 United States; 26 (e) (d) The POW/MIA flag as provided for in section 67-2303, Idaho Code; 27 (f) (e) Official flags of recognized Indian tribes; 28 (g) (f) Official flags of countries other than the United States to com- 29 memorate special occasions or in recognition of historic international 30 and cross-border relations, including the Basque autonomous community 31 flag as recognized as an official flag by the Spanish government, but 32 excluding countries with which the United States is engaged in hostile 33 action; and 34 (h) Official flags of Idaho colleges, universities, and public 35 schools. 36 (g) The official flag of an Idaho college or university, if it has des- 37 ignated by official policy exactly one (1) official flag; and 38 (h) Flags, banners, or pennants displayed on government-owned flag- 39 poles or streetlights or on any government property along streets or 40 boulevards that are not political, religious, or ideological in nature. 41 2 (3) The provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to 1 any temporary parade or assembly on the property of a governmental entity. 2 (3) (4) The division of veterans services is hereby authorized to pro- 3 mulgate rules directing the proper protocol for the location and display of 4 flags flown on state property. 5 (5) A governmental entity that fails to comply with the provisions of 6 this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of two thousand dollars 7 ($2,000) per flag for each day such flag is displayed. 8 (6) The attorney general shall have the duty to enforce this section 9 against a governmental entity. Before initiating a civil action against a 10 governmental entity, the attorney general shall advise the governmental en- 11 tity in writing of the violation and, if the governmental entity has not al- 12 ready been advised of a substantially similar violation, allow the govern- 13 mental entity ten (10) days to cure the violation. If the violation is cured 14 within ten (10) days, the governmental entity shall not be subject to civil 15 penalties for the violation. If the violation is not cured within ten (10) 16 days, or if the governmental entity is not entitled to an opportunity to cure 17 based on the commission of a substantially similar violation, the attorney 18 general shall have the authority to file a civil action in the district court 19 of the county in which the governmental entity is located to enjoin the gov- 20 ernmental entity from violating the provisions of this section and to re- 21 cover civil penalties accruing from the first day of violation. If the at- 22 torney general prevails in such action, the court shall award the attorney 23 general all attorney's fees incurred in bringing the action. 24 SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby 25 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its 26 passage and approval. 27