Policy for Display of National and State Flags

STATE OF MISSOURI
POLICY FOR DISPLAY OF
NATIONAL AND STATE FLAGS

POLICY

It is the policy of the Governor of the State of Missouri to provide suitable arrangements for the display of the National and State flags on the exterior of all facilities operated by the State of Missouri. The Office of Administration will coordinate arrangements on behalf of the Governor’s Office.

GUIDELINES

FLAGS WILL BE FLOWN:

I. EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, excluding inclement weather, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or until sundown, whichever occurs first, or if lighted, may remain up 24 hours a day. The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an all-weather flag is displayed. They are lowered only when necessary to fly at half-staff, or to change them due to deteriorating condition.

II. RAISING AND LOWERING OF FLAGS

A. Single Flagpole. The National Flag will be flown.
B. Two Flagpoles. The National flag will be flown on the right as you face the poles with the building at your back.
C. If there is a malfunction of the halyards on any pole, which would allow only one flag to be flown, it should always be the National flag.
D. The National flag is always raised first (briskly) and lowered last (slowly).
E. Flag should always be unfurled prior to attaching to halyards. The union up on the National flag and the red side up on the State flag. Flags should never be flown upside down.
F. The Halyards are always fastened after the flags are raised, loosened and freed from the staff before the flags are lowered; then refastened to keep them from becoming snarled in the wind.
G. Care should be exercised to prevent flags from touching the ground.
H. Flags should be folded and stored securely until the next day.

III. FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF

A. PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. National and State flags must be flown at half-staff on the fifteenth day of May.

B. MEMORIAL DAY (the last Monday in May)
National and State flags must be flown at half-staff until Noon, and at the top of the staff for the rest of the day.

C. NATIONAL PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY
National and State flags must be flown at half-staff on the seventh day of December.

D. The Office of the Governor has authority to order the lowering of flags to half-staff upon the death of any of the following officials for the period indicated:

1. President or former President of the United States for thirty (30) days from day of death.

2. Vice President of the United States, the Chief Justice, or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or Speaker of the House Representatives, for ten days from the day of death.

3. Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State; territory, or possession, from the day of death until interment.

4. United States Member of Congress on the day of death and the following day.

E. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff on the day of death and the following day.

F. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized custom or practices not inconsistent with law.

PROCEDURES

I. FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF

A. The Director of the Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction or his designee notifies the Chief of Capitol Police and each Department Director and/or institution per the attached list.

1. All notifications will be accomplished via facsimile and E-mail.

2. If the call is received prior to 12:00 Noon, half-staff should take place immediately.

3. If the call is received after 12:00 Noon, half-staff should take place the following day at 8:00 a.m. unless otherwise directed.

4. The Office of Administration Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction fax machine has been programmed to send a message to all selected agencies. On weekends and holidays, Capitol Police will notify appropriate agencies. In the event that the fax machine is unavailable, each agency shall be notified by phone.

THE FOLLOWING ARE TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN FLAGS ARE ORDERED TO HALF-STAFF:

DEPARTMENT and/or INSTITUTION	DEPARTMENT and/or INSTITUTION
Department of Agriculture	Office of Administration Deputy Commissioner
Department of Conservation	Wainwright State Office Building
Department of Corrections	Millcreek State Office Building
Department of Economic Development	Springfield State Office Building
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education	Kansas City Office Building
Department of Health & Senior Services	St. Joseph Office Building
Department of Higher Education	Harry S Truman Building
Department of Highway & Transportation	Jefferson Building
Department Of Labor & Industrial Relations	JCK State Information Center
Department of Mental Health	Court of Appeals, SPFD
Department of Natural Resources	Court of Appeals, KC
Department of Public Safety	Lottery
Department of Revenue	Governor’s Office
Department of Social Services	Governor’s Mansion
Department of Insurance	MOSERS
Capitol Police	MODOT
Office of Administration Commissioner

A facsimile shall be sent with the following message:

CONTENT: By Order of the Governor, all flags at State facilities shall be flown at half-staff from ______________ to _______________ in memory of ______________________.

A. A flag at half-staff should be halfway between the top and bottom of the supporting staff. The following procedure should be followed in lowering a flag to half staff:

1. Raise the National flag to the top of its staff; then,

2. Lower the National flag to half-staff; then,

3. Raise the State flag to half-staff position (never higher than the National flag).

4. Lower the State flag first at the end of the mourning period; then,

5. Raise the National flag to the top of the staff before final lowering

OTHER DISPLAY OF FLAGS

A. POW/MIA FLAG

At all state buildings, under the supervision and charge of the Board of Public Buildings, may accompany the display of the flag of the United States and the flag of this state with the display of the POW/MIA flag, which is designed to commemorate the service and sacrifice of the members of the armed forces of the United States who were prisoners of war or missing in action.

Where there are two flag poles the POW/MIA flag will be flown directly below the National Flag. On a single flag pole the POW/MIA flag will be flown below the National flag and above the State flag.

B. NATIONAL/STATE FLAG

In all interior locations where both the National and the State flags are displayed, the National flag will always be on the observer’s left (or what is known as the flag’s own right).

References

Title 36 US code (Flag Code)