Bill Text: NJ A4426 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires flying of US and State flags at half-staff under certain circumstances; adopts US Flag Code.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-11-18 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State Government Committee [A4426 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A4426-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires flying of US and State flags at half-staff under certain circumstances; adopts US Flag Code.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring the flying of the United States and State flags at half-staff under certain circumstances, adopting the United States Flag Code, and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 52 of the Revised Statues.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The United States Flag Code, 4 U.S.C. s. 1 et seq., and the provisions of sections 2 and 3 of this act, P.L. , c. (now pending before the legislature as this bill), are hereby adopted as the flag code for the State of New Jersey for the same purposes and to serve the same functions as the United States Code.
2. The United States flag at public buildings shall be flown only at such times and in such manner as specified by the President of the United States, federal law, or the flag code.
Whenever the flag of the United States is to be flown at half-staff by order or instruction of the President of the United States, federal law, or the flag code, the Governor shall direct that the United States flag and the State flag at all public buildings throughout the State be flown at half-staff as ordered or instructed.
3. The Governor shall have sole discretion with regard to flying the State flag at half-staff; except that the Governor shall direct, upon receiving timely notification and verification of the death of an active service member of the Armed Forces of the United States of America or of the National Guard who was a resident of New Jersey, that the State flag at all public buildings throughout the State be flown at half-staff.
Whenever the Governor directs that the State flag shall be flown at half-staff, the Governor shall specify the day or days on which the flag shall be so flown.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill adopts the United States Flag Code as the flag code for the State of New Jersey. It also specifies that the United States flag at all public buildings can only be flown at such times and in such manner as specified by the President of the United States, federal law, or the flag code. Whenever the flag of the United States is to be flown at half-staff by order or instruction of the President of the United States, federal law, or the flag code, the Governor must direct that the United States flag and the State flag at all public buildings throughout the State be flown at half-staff as ordered or instructed.
This bill also provides that the Governor will have sole discretion with regard to flying the State flag at half-staff; except that the State flag will be flown at half-staff at all public buildings upon notification and verification of the death of an active service member of the Armed Forces of the United States of America or of the National Guard who was a resident of New Jersey.
This bill does not change any existing law regarding flying the flag at half-staff under certain circumstances. In addition, the purpose of adopting a flag code is to provide uniform guidelines for the display, use, and handling of the United States flag.
