Illinois Senate passes bill which could change the state flag

Posted on March 27, 2023
The bill, which has passed the Senate, would create a commission to field public input about the possibility. (Facebook/Governor JB Pritzker)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) says her bill which could lead to a new state flag could do something many of us would think impossible.

“It does get, I believe, people in the state excited about Illinois again.”

The bill, which has passed the Senate, would create a commission to field public input about the possibility. But the capital city’s other senator, Republican Steve McClure, does not share Turner’s enthusiasm.

“We have a lot of challenges in our state right now,” McClure said, “and we have limited resources. And we need to work toward solving those challenges. I think that a new state flag design – maybe – would be spectacular, who knows. But we have to be focused on the things our constituents are concerned about, and I have yet to have that issue of our state flag raised by one constituent.”

Nevertheless, the bill number is 1818 – the year Illinois became a state. The commission would have 21 people – and Illinois is the 21st state. And the commission’s work would be finished Dec. 3, 2024 – the 106th anniversary of Illinois statehood.

Only one Republican senator, Sue Rezin of Morris, voted for the bill.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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