Bill Description: House Bill 96 would specify what flags may be displayed by governmental entities.
Rating: +1
NOTE: House Bill 96 is similar to House Bill 45, introduced earlier in the 2025 session. The primary difference is that House Bill 96 would exclude schools, colleges, and universities from this law. While this change may be due in part to the progression of House Bill 41, which would regulate flags in public schools, it is worth recognizing that neither House Bill 41 nor House Bill 96 would apply to public colleges and universities, allowing these institutions to display flags that promote divisive political and social agendas.
Does it promote the breakdown of the traditional family or the deconstruction of societal norms? Examples include promoting or incentivizing degeneracy, violating parental rights, and compromising the innocence of children. Conversely, does it protect or uphold the structure, tenets, and traditional values of Western society?
Flags can represent many things, including political and social causes. In recent years, some governmental entities have used flags associated with various identity groups and causes to push political and social agendas.
House Bill 96 would address this issue by amending Section 67-2303A, Idaho Code, which deals with the proper protocol for flags flown by governmental entities.
The new language would clarify what flags a governmental entity may display on its property. It would also define a governmental entity as "the state of Idaho or any county, municipality, special district, or any other political subdivision or governmental instrumentality of or within the state other than a school, college, or university."
The following flags would be allowed:
It is reasonable and appropriate for the Legislature to prohibit advocacy for political and social agendas by government entities, although flags are just one of many ways (not addressed in this bill) such advocacy can occur.
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