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Minnesota’s former state flag would get a new designation and highlighted position under a bill working its way through the Capitol.

 would designate the former design that centered Minnesota’s retired state seal at the center of a blue sheet as the state’s historic flag. It would make explicit that residents are free to display the old flag and require state officials to display it on state property on official state holidays and at the Capitol when the Legislature is in session.

Minnesota retired its prior flag and seal last year and 

 after legislation passed and a redesign commission decided on the state’s new state emblems.

Bill author Rep. Joe McDonald, R-Delano, said it’s important to commemorate the former flag. His proposal would also require that the former flag be displayed below the current one in situations when both are present. 

“My bill … just states that the Minnesota will acknowledge the great old flag of the state of Minnesota as a historic flag, and allow our civic leaders, our states, our counties, our cities, the ability to fly it below the current flag if they wish, or just fly it as well, in addition to and to just make sure that it's historic,” McDonald said. “Our Minnesota flag, although some may think it's controversial, has a lot of great history.”

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Rep. Bjorn Olson, R-Fairmont, agreed that the plan would give the former flag the “respect it’s due” by ensuring it’s presented on state property on state holidays. Olson was part of the state redesign commission.

DFL Rep. Mike Freiberg, of Golden Valley, brought forward the effort to replace the flag with a new one and said he still had qualms with requiring its display, especially in situations where both the old and new designs would fly together. 

“I'd never try to tell people what to fly in their yard, certainly, but I will note that the old flag does have problematic imagery and its depiction of Indigenous Minnesotans,” Freiberg said. “I do think that makes it somewhat inappropriate to be flown on state buildings.”

He said Utah recently redesigned its state flag and faced procedural hurdles with a similar law. 

The House State Government Finance and Policy Committee considered the Minnesota bill and laid it over for possible inclusion in a broader state government bill.

Proposals to adopt the giant beaver as Minnesota's 

 and Ursa Minor as the official state constellation were also considered and may become part of a larger state government bill.

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Some state legislators say it’s important to commemorate the former flag. Others say problematic imagery and the old flag’s depiction of Indigenous Minnesotans is inappropriate.

A blue flag waves above the Capitol building

Ben Hovland | MPR News

A person holds the new Minnesota state flag

Kerem Yücel | MPR News

a group of people hold the old minnesota flag

Retired Minnesota flag could receive ‘historic’ designation under new bill

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