Will Louisiana Be the Next State to Protect Your Right to Fly the American Flag?

SHREVEPORT, LA – State lawmakers in Louisiana are poised to give residents more freedom to fly the American flag at their homes. State Representative Dodie Horton from Haughton has proposed HB 56 which would make it illegal for homeowners associations to put rules in place banning the flying of the United States flag.

Aim of the Bill: Protecting Flag Display Rights

Horton’s bill would allow for “reasonable provisions as to the time, place and manner of displaying the flag.” But she does not want any Louisiana residents to be prohibited from flying the flag of the USA at their home.

Representative Horton's Motivation

Horton says she represents a large and active veteran community in northwest Louisiana and many of these folks want to display the flag of our country. She heard from constituents who learned homeowners’ association rules prohibited the flying of the flag. Horton says this is disturbing.

READ MORE: Disturbing video of Veteran being denied care at VA in Shreveport

In some of these communities, flying the flag is illegal on any day of the year. Some neighborhoods allow the flag to be flown on only a couple of days: Flag Day and the 4th of July. Horton wants residents to be able to fly the flag every day of the year.

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Balancing Community Rules and Individual Rights

She does understand that there must be some balance between the rules of a community and the rights of the citizens. But she says to completely ban the flag of the USA is wrong. She says we have to be able to reach some sort of happy medium on this issue.

Bill's Progress in the Legislature

The measure passed out of the House Civil Law Committee on a unanimous vote and is now headed to a vote on the House floor on May 12.