Illinois’ current state flag has remained largely unchanged for more than a century, but Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently paved the way to a new banner for the Land of Lincoln.
Senate Bill 1818, appropriately named after the year Illinois became a state, created a commission to evaluate the state’s current flag, and decide whether or not it is time to design a new one.
Pritzker officially applied his signature to the bill earlier this month after it was approved by the General Assembly durign the spring session.
Here’s what we know about the legislation.
What is the History of Illinois’ Flag?
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois’ first state flag was adopted in 1915, and it looked very similar to the way the banner looks today.
It simply used the Great Seal of the State of Illinois, which pictures a bald eagle holding a banner that reads “State Sovereignty, National Union.” It was modeled after the Great Seal of the United States.
The dates “1818” and “1868” on the seal represent the year Illinois was established as a state and the year that the state’s seal was redesigned, according to IDNR.
The original flag was tweaked in Sept. 1969, with the word “Illinois” added to the bottom.
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Why Design a New Flag?
State Sen. Doris Turner, who sponsored Senate Bill 1818, called history “breathing and ever-evolving” in comments made after the Senate passed a bill to establish the commission, and says it is her hope that designing a new flag will inspire renewed civic pride among the state’s residents.
“We need to ensure government is evolving with the times, so people are engaged and part of what is going on across this state,” she said in a statement.
She also cited the diverse makeup of the state, including a large metropolis like Chicago and communities both large and small that are an economic engine for the Midwest.
“Illinois is a diverse state made up of rural, urban and suburban communities, and is known for its agriculture, strong workforce, home of Abraham Lincoln and more,” she said. “Our flag doesn’t show that. It’s time we have a flag that truly represents our state.
What will the commission do?
The commission will not only decide whether to proceed with the design of a new flag, but would be responsible for adopting goals for the redesign, as well as defining a submission process and a publicly-accessible website.
How will the Commission be set up?
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, or someone he appoints, will serve as the chair of the commission, according to the text of SB1818.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker will appoint three members, and four members will be appointed by both Senate President Don Harmon and House Majority Leader Emmanuel “Chris” Welch.
Senate Minority Leader John Curran and House Minority Leader Tony McCombie will appoint four members apiece.
Dr. Tony Sanders, Illinois’ Superintendent of Education and Donna Sack, chairwoman of the Board of the Illinois State Museum, will also serve on the commission.
What are the deadlines?
The commission is required to meet no later than Sept. 1 for purposes of deciding whether to proceed with the redesign of the flag.
If the decision is made to move forward, then the next deadline would be Sept. 1, 2024, when no more than 10 flag designs would be revealed, and deliberations would begin on which one to adopt.
That review and selection process would include the commission, but also children and students in the state, according to the text of the bill.
A final report will need to be made by Dec. 3, 2024.
Which Other States Have Recently Changed Their Flags?
Illinois is largely modeling its flag-design process after that of Utah, which created a task force in 2021 that solicited designs from libraries, schools and other institutions.
More than 7,000 designs were ultimately submitted.
Elsewhere, Georgia and Mississippi have both designed new flags as well.
Closer to home, Cook County adopted a new flag in June 2022.
When Would the Process End?
If the commission recommends that Illinois adopt a new flag, a recommendation would be made to the General Assembly on a new design by no later than Dec. 3, 2024, according to the bill.
