State Senator Doris Turner’s bill to create a commission to develop a new official state flag has passed.
The commission would make recommendations to the General Assembly deciding whether the current state flag should be replaced with a redesigned state flag by September 1st. If they decide the flag should be replaced, the commission would report recommendations to the General Assembly by December 3, 2024.
Turner says its an excellent way for everyday citizens to engage with their government: “I’ve gotten calls and information from grade schools, middle schools, high schools all wanting their students to be involved. That’s one of the reasons why I think that this is a good piece of legislation because it does get, I believe, people in the state excited about Illinois again. People talk all the time about how disconnected the citizenry is with government. I think this is a great opportunity to give people a reason to get excited about Illinois again.”
Turner’s bill mirrors a similar measure passed in 2021 in the State of Utah. The task force in Utah provided design toolkits to libraries, schools and other institutions. The task force received around 7,000 flag designs and over 44,000 public comments.
Illinois has had two official state flags, with the first being adopted in 1915 and the second one with no design change but simply adding the word “Illinois” in 1969. Turner went on to say in her comments on the Senate floor that the flag should represent the state’s strong workforce and as an agricultural champion for the country.
The bill now heads to the Illinois House.