How to Properly Display American Flag
by
Texas Governor's Office | Sep 11, 2014
STATUTORY REFERENCES FOR PROPER DISPLAY OF THE FLAG:
Texas Government Code §3100.
United States Code Title 4 – Chapter 1: The Flag.
BEST PRACTICES CONCERNING THE FLYING OF STATE AND NATIONAL FLAGS
General rules
• No flag should fly above the U.S. or State of Texas flag.
• If a flag cannot be properly displayed in relation to the previous rule, then that flag should be grounded and removed from the pole or display.
When U.S. flags are ordered to half-staff
Requirements:
• The U.S. flag shall be flown at half-staff.
• Since no flag in any display shall fly above the U.S. flag, the State of Texas and other flags shall be flown at half-staff for the same duration of time as the U.S. flag.
• At the beginning of the day that flags have been ordered to half-staff, the U.S. flag shall be raised briskly to the peak of the flag pole and then slowly lowered to the position of half-staff.
Particular flag displays:
1. Single flag pole display: if the U.S. and State of Texas flags are displayed on the same flag pole, both the U.S. and the State of Texas flag shall be flown at half staff.
2. Multiple flag pole display: if the U.S. and State of Texas flags are in the same display on separate poles, both the U.S. and State of Texas flags to half-staff should be lowered to half-staff. If the U.S. and State of Texas flags are displayed along with historical replica flags of other nations (e.g., Spain, France, Mexico, and the Confederacy), then the U.S. and State of Texas flags should be displayed at half-staff and the replica flags should be removed from the display for the period of time the flags have been ordered to half-staff.
When only State Flags are ordered to half-staff
• The U.S. flag shall remain at full staff.
• At the beginning of the day, the State of Texas flag shall be raised briskly to the peak of the flag pole and then slowly lowered to the position of half-staff for the rest of the day.
• No flag in any display shall fly above the U.S. or State of Texas flag.
Particular flag displays:
1. Single flag pole display: if the U.S. and State of Texas flags are displayed on the same flag pole, the agency has two options: (a) remove the State of Texas flag from the pole and keep the U.S. flag flying at full-staff, (b) remove the U.S. flag from the pole and fly the State of Texas flag at half staff. It is not acceptable to have the U.S. flag at full-staff and the State of Texas flag at half-staff on the same pole.
2. Multiple flag pole display: if the U.S. and State of Texas flags are in the same display on separate poles, both the U.S. and State of Texas flags should be lowered to half-staff. If the U.S. and State of Texas flags are displayed along with historical replica flags of other nations (e.g., Spain, France, Mexico, and the Confederacy), then the U.S. and State of Texas flags should be displayed at half-staff and the replica flags should be removed from the display for the period of time the flags have been ordered to half-staff.