News and Press and Releases for March 2006

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03/29/2006

Gov. Sanford Lowers Flag Upon Signing New Law

Flag Lowered in Memory of Rosa Parks

Columbia, S.C. - Gov. Mark Sanford today signed H.4319 -- a bill granting governors more discretion to lower the flag upon the death of notable individuals - and immediately asked for the state's flags to be lowered in honor of civil rights leader Rosa Parks.

When Parks passed away in October, South Carolina law did not allow the state's flags to be lowered in her memory. At that time, Gov. Sanford asked leaders in the House and Senate to act quickly to address the shortcoming in South Carolina law with a bill that would allow the governor to lower the flag in similar circumstances. The governor said today he was making good on his pledge to lower flags on state buildings immediately upon the bill's signature, and re-iterated his request for South Carolinians to lower any flags they may have at their homes and places of business as well.

"Let me be clear - the state's flags absolutely should have been lowered for Rosa Parks, but I want to thank the General Assembly for passing this bill allowing me to do so now," Gov. Sanford said. "There have been a number of situations recently - whether it was the death of Coretta Scott King or Pope John Paul II -- when it took action from the legislature to lower the flags, but when flags couldn't be lowered to honor Rosa Parks it was a particularly unfortunate way to highlight a very real need for changes to this law. This new law is an important step toward not only honoring her legacy, but also honoring the legacy of others in the future."