Utah enacted HB77, banning Pride flags from public schools and government buildings; first such state ban

On March 27, 2025, Utah enacted House Bill 77, "Flag Display Amendments," after Governor Spencer Cox declined to sign or veto the measure and allowed it to become law without his signature. The law prohibits government entities and their employees — including public schools — from displaying any flag on government property except a defined list of exempted flags, such as the U.S. flag, Utah's state flag, and official government, military, and similar banners. Sponsored by Rep. Trevor Lee and carried in the Senate by Sen. Daniel McCay, the bill was widely understood and promoted as a ban on Pride flags in classrooms and public buildings, making Utah the first state to enact such a restriction.

The statute directs the state auditor to enforce compliance through fines and creates a cause of action against public-education institutions that violate it. By barring Pride flags from public buildings and schools while permitting a broad range of other government, civic, and military flags, the law uses state authority to exclude one community's symbol of belonging from public spaces it otherwise allows comparable expression to occupy.

Updates

2025-05-06 — Salt Lake City adopted new official city flags to sidestep the ban [5]

In response to HB77 taking effect, the Salt Lake City Council adopted several new official city flags — including designs incorporating Pride, transgender, and Juneteenth themes — a status city officials said placed the banners outside HB77's restriction on nongovernmental flags.