Utah State Legislator is Hard at Work to Correct and Honor the Utah State Flag
Representative Julie Fisher—Republican from Fruit Heights who represents District 17—believes we need to be reminded of our rich history as Utahns. She is one legislator who puts her beliefs into action. When historical researcher Ron Fox told her of an error in the design of the Utah State flag, she resolved to do something about it. The error had been discovered some twenty years earlier by flag historian John Hartvigsen, but when he had told others about the error, they only thought it an interesting bit of Utah trivia. Fox, who thought otherwise, brought it to Representative Fisher’s attention.
The error, admittedly, is small. Four numerals, “1847,” had been moved from their correct position on the flag’s central emblem. With Fox’s help Representative Fisher drafted a Resolution, Utah House Concurrent Resolution 2, which would not only correct the error but also highlight the importance and significance of the Utah State flag.
Since Utah fourth graders study Utah History, Representative Fisher involved them in the resolution’s passage. A fourth grade student from Burton Elementary School, Logan Jeppson, attended the Committee Hearing and gave testimony in support of the resolution. Then on February 16th, his fourth grade classmates joined him at the State Capitol to watch the legislature pass the resolution. These excited students next joined Representative Fisher at a meeting with Governor Gary Herbert in the Capitol’s ornate reception room, the Gold Room, for a ceremonial signing. Representative Fisher’s resolution not only corrected the error in the flag’s design, it made Utah school children first hand observers of the legislative process.
With the passage of House Concurrent Resolution 2, Utah not only gets a correct state flag, but it is also a beautiful new flag. In creating the new correct pattern for the Utah State Flag, Colonial Flag Company was asked to return to the 1913 pattern. This dramatic new design copies colors and elements from the prototype color flag made for presentation to the Battleship USS Utah. This flag was the first color version of the flag’s design.
To follow-up on the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 2, Representative Fisher has also proposed a bill to establish March 9th each year as Utah State Flag Day. House Bill 490 has now passed committee and moves on to the whole house for consideration.
Julie Fisher’s constituents have already awarded her the title Representative, but she has also earned the added appellation “Advocate of the Utah State Flag.” Congratulations Representative Fisher, Colonial Flag salutes you.
