BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2500

By: Dunnam

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current law, the governor may adopt a flag for ceremonial purposes. Recent governors have chosen not to adopt a flag. The designation of one specific official flag for the office of the governor would give consistency to and build recognition of the governor's flag.

H.B. 2500 establishes that the governor's flag is the 1839 pilot flag of the Republic of Texas.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2500 amends the Government Code to establish that the governor's flag is the 1839 pilot flag of the Republic of Texas and to remove language authorizing the governor to adopt a flag for the governor's official use. The bill provides a physical description of the governor's flag and sets forth provisions for the display of the flag. The bill authorizes the governor to prescribe any changes relating to the description or display of the flag that the governor considers appropriate and removes the requirement that the governor provide a description of the governor's flag by executive order published in the Texas Register.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.