State of Georgia (U.S): Temporary Flag proposal of 2003
On March 23, 2003, the House of the General Assembly of Georgia approved a resolution, which would immediately take down the flag of 2001 and replace it with a temporary design, created by state Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-Marietta) which resembled the original "Stars and Bars" approved by the Confederate government in 1861, and flew until 1956. The resolution then would call for a binding referendum in March of 2004, with voters statewide given a yes or no choice on this new flag. If voters were to say nay to the new flag, then in July 2004, voters would be able to choose between the original pre-1956 flag, or the post 1956 flag, with the St. Andrews cross of the Confederate battle emblem. Akwardly, the House resolution was trashed only days later when the State Assembly adopted the current state flag of 2003; a flag that is very much based on a flag design which was only supposed to be temporary.
Legal Description of the proposed flag: "The flag of the State of Georgia shall be three horizontal bands. The bottom horizontal band shall be red and shall occupy one_third of the entire flag. The center horizontal band shall be white and shall occupy two_thirds of the length of the flag and shall bear the words 'IN GOD WE TRUST' which words shall be the same blue color as the square field of blue. The top horizontal band shall be red and shall occupy two_thirds of the length of the flag. The remainder of the space shall be a square, one_third of the length of the flag, nearest to the flagstaff, consisting of a field of blue, centered upon which shall be placed a representation of the coat of arms of the state, and which seal shall be encircled by 13 white five_pointed stars."
House Bill 773
Legal Description of the 1956-flag: "The flag of the State of Georgia shall be a vertical band of blue occupying one third of the entire flag nearest to the flagstaff. The remainder of the space shall be a square, two thirds the length of the flag, having a red background with a broad saltire of blue bordered with white on which 13 white mullets or five pointed stars, corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States of America as recognized by the Confederate States Congress, are emblazoned; so that such remainder shall be the same as the union of the flag of the Confederate States as approved and cited in Statutes at Large of the Confederate States Congress, 1st and 2nd Sessions, 1862 63, 1863 64, and approved May 1, 1863, such remainder being popularly known as the Battle Flag of the Confederacy. On the blue field shall be stamped, painted, or embroidered the coat of arms of the state."
House Resolution for a Flag Referendum
