Bill Text: MS SC535 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi Senate Concurrent Resolution 535

Introduced

Bill Title: LGBTQ Rainbow Flag; prohibit Department of Finance and Administration from allowing display on state or political subdivision buildings.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Failed) 2026-04-15 - Died In Committee [SC535 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2026-SC535-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Chism

Senate Concurrent Resolution 535

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO PROHIBIT THE DISPLAY OF THE LGBTQ PRIDE MOVEMENT (RAINBOW) FLAG ON ANY STATE OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISION BUILDING.

WHEREAS, in Genesis 9:13, God declares, "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth"; and

WHEREAS, the 1st-century Jewish historian Josephus confirms that the divinely inspired author "meant the rainbow, which in those countries was believed to be God's bow"; and

WHEREAS, the ancient pagan poet Homer concurs that the rainbow is a divine symbol to humanity, writing, "like the rainbows which Zeus fixed in the cloud a sign to men of many tongues"; and

WHEREAS, the ancient pagan philosopher Plato agrees that the rainbow is a wonderous and divine sign, saying through the mouth of Socrates that "wonder is the only beginning of philosophy, and he who said that Iris [Greek personification of the rainbow and messenger of the gods] was the child of Thaumas [Greek personification of wonder] made a good genealogy"; and

WHEREAS, early Church Father John Chrysostom writes that "at the sight of this sign, we do not conceive of sad suspicions � so that we may immediately recall the divine promise, that we may have confidence that we shall suffer nothing which resembles the flood"; and

WHEREAS, the medieval Jewish theologian Maimonides declares that God intends to say, "the bow which I put in the cloud in the day of creation, shall be, from this day, and henceforth, for a sign of the covenant between me and you, so that every time that it appears, I will look upon it and remember my covenant of peace"; and

WHEREAS, medieval Christian theologian Thomas Aquinas describes the rainbow as not only "a sign of no future flood," but also as "signifying Christ, through whom we are protected from spiritual flood"; and

WHEREAS, the founder of Protestantism, Martin Luther, notes the enduring theological significance of the rainbow, writing, "as often as the rainbow appears, it proclaims to the world with a loud voice, as it were, the story of the wrath of God," and urges his readers to "let this sign teach us to fear God and to trust in Him"; and

WHEREAS, fellow Protestant theologian John Calvin likewise notes the enduring divine purpose of the rainbow: "For, as it pleases the Lord to employ earthly elements, as vehicles for raising the minds of men on high, so I think the celestial arch which had before existed naturally, is here consecrated into a sign and pledge; and thus a new office is assigned to it; whereas, from the nature of the thing itself, it might rather be a sign of the contrary; for it threatens continued rain"; and

WHEREAS, the renowned 18th-century evangelist John Wesley instructs his readers, "as God looks upon the bow that he may remember the covenant, so should we, that we also may be ever mindful of the covenant with faith and thankfulness"; and

WHEREAS, the rainbow is a biblical symbol of God's Covenant intended as a promise of hope for all mankind; and

WHEREAS, the rainbow has continuously inspired millions of faithful Jews and Christians over millennia as a sign of hope and peace to all the nations; and

WHEREAS, even pagan authors have identified the rainbow as a message of divine wonderment for all humanity; and

WHEREAS, the rainbow is an awe-inspiring sight displayed in the sky after a rainfall; and

WHEREAS, the rainbow is a wonder of nature with historical, religious and scientific significance; and

WHEREAS, the rainbow represents the expectation of a fresh start and a new beginning following a time of darkness; and

WHEREAS, beginning in 1978, individuals hostile to the Christian faith misappropriated the rainbow symbol for the "pride" movement; and

WHEREAS, in Proverbs 8:13 God announces his enmity toward pride, stating, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride � do I hate," and, hence, such pride is deeply offensive to the many people who follow a biblical religion:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we hereby direct the Mississippi Department of Finance Administration, as the responsible agency for administration of all public properties in the State of Mississippi, not to fly or otherwise allow the display of any rainbow flag intended as a symbol of the LGBTQ Pride Movement on any property owned, leased or used by any state agency or political subdivision of the state of Mississippi.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.