(20 ILCS 4127/5)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)

Sec. 5. Illinois Flag Commission.

(a) The Illinois Flag Commission is hereby established.

(b) The purposes of the Commission are to develop new State flag designs and to make recommendations to the General Assembly concerning whether the current State flag ought to be replaced with a redesigned State flag.

(c) The Commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) the Secretary of State or the Secretary of State's designee, who shall serve as Chair of the Commission;

(2) 3 members appointed by the Governor;

(3) 4 members appointed by the President of the Senate, not more than one of whom may be a current member of the General Assembly;

(4) 4 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, not more than one of whom may be a current member of the General Assembly;

(5) 4 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, not more than one of whom may be a current member of the General Assembly;

(6) 4 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, not more than one of whom may be a current member of the General Assembly;

(7) the State Superintendent of Education or the Superintendent's designee; and

(8) the Chairperson of the Board of the Illinois State Museum or the Chairperson's designee.

(d) In furtherance of its purposes under this Act, the Commission shall:

(1) establish and adopt goals and guiding principles for the redesign of the State flag;

(2) establish a process for the submission of proposed designs for a new or revised State flag and guidelines for the assessment of those proposed designs;

(3) create a publicly accessibly website that provides:

(A) historical information about the State flag;

(B) a timeline and explanation of the process to be used to redesign the State flag;

(C) an online suggestion box through which residents can offer design ideas for the State flag; and

(D) a survey function through which residents can vote on potential State flag designs;

(4) engage in a public awareness campaign with the design community and advocacy groups, as well as Illinois schools, universities, and public libraries, concerning the Commission's efforts to redesign the State flag;

(5) select, on or before September 1, 2024, a group of no more than 10 proposed flag designs that:

(A) represent the State; and

(B) adhere to the guiding principles established by the Commission under subparagraph (1);

(6) develop a review and selection process for proposed flag designs that incorporates the input of children and young people in the State;

(7) on or before December 3, 2024, submit to the General Assembly a written report that describes:

(A) the proposed flag designs submitted to the Commission;

(B) the process used by the Commission to review the proposed flag designs submitted to it;

(C) the group of no more than 10 proposed flag designs selected by the Commission;

(D) the Commission's recommendation for a revised or new State flag; and

(E) the Commission's recommendations to the General Assembly concerning whether the current State flag ought to be retained or replaced with a revised or new State flag.

(e) The appointing authorities shall make appointments to the Commission as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, and the Chair of the Commission shall convene the first meeting of the Commission by no later than September 1, 2023. Subsequent meetings of the Commission shall convene at the call of the Chair of the Commission. A majority of all the appointed members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and all recommendations of the Commission shall require approval of a majority of the members of the Commission. Meetings of the Commission are subject to the Open Meetings Act.

(f) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but may be provided, from moneys appropriated to the Secretary of State for implementation of this Section, a per diem established by the Secretary of State to cover reasonable meal, travel, and lodging expenses incurred by Commission members as a result of their duties under this Section.

(g) The Office of the Secretary of State shall provide administrative support to the Commission.

(Source: P.A. 103-513, eff. 8-7-23.)