As a statewide ban on pride and other “political” flags in schools and on government property took effect Wednesday, Utah’s Republican legislative leaders denounced Salt Lake City’s adoption of three new official flags.
And while the GOP lawmakers’ tone was stern, they did not go so far as to say they consider the move a violation of the law, or if and how they’d potentially amend the law to prevent similar municipal actions in the future.
The condemnations from legislators who supported the law came after the Salt Lake City Council approved an ordinance Tuesday proposed by Mayor Erin Mendenhall that declared versions of the pride, transgender visibility and Juneteenth flags as official city flags. Each of the newly official flags includes the city’s sego lily emblem added in the upper left corner, similar to the sego lily on the city’s official blue and white flag.
“It’s disappointing that Salt Lake City is diverting time and resources away from real pressing community needs in an attempt to bypass state law,” Republican Senate President Stuart Adams said Tuesday evening in a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune. “The intent of this bill is to help ensure that government buildings remain neutral, focused on serving the public and welcoming to all.”
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mayor Erin Mendenhall proposes three new city flags during a meeting of the Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
The bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Dan McCay — who first proposed a ban on pride flags in schools during the 2024 legislative session and shepherded a law creating a new state flag in 2023 — expressed similar sentiments in a statement shared Tuesday night.
“Government buildings should display neutral flags to serve everyone, not just the majority,” the senator said. “Salt Lake City’s focus on symbolic flags dismisses some taxpayers and ignores real issues like crime, homelessness, and fleeing businesses. As Utah’s capital, the city should prioritize solutions over performative gestures, which are misguided and embarrassing.”
A spokesperson for Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, the bill’s main sponsor, said Tuesday evening that Lee had no official comment on Salt Lake City’s adoption of the new flags, but added that he “looks forward to next session as lawmakers are able to open bill files beginning tomorrow.”
Lee added on the social media platform X, “Does Salt Lake City really want to play these games? Good luck!”
Republican House Speaker Mike Schultz, too, criticized the city and its leaders for the decision to adopt the three flags as official city flags.
“Salt Lake City’s move to bypass state law is a clear waste of time and taxpayer resources,” he said in a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune. “This law is about keeping government spaces neutral and welcoming to all. Salt Lake City should focus on real issues, not political theatrics.”
It is possible the lawmakers could amend the flag ban during a special legislative session — including potentially closing the “official” loophole Salt Lake City used or to make other changes — but leaders have not confirmed the possibility of a special session nor what could be on the agenda.
A spokesperson for the Senate president said they had no additional comments on Wednesday about the possibility of a special session, as there had not yet been internal discussions following the approval of Salt Lake City’s new flag ordinance.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The pride flag flies at City Hall on Thursday, March 13, 2025. A bill that would ban pride flags in Utah schools and public buildings was discussed in a virtual meeting Tuesday as a reason why the Sundance Film Festival could leave Utah, the Hollywood trade publication Deadline reported. The bill, HB77, still must be signed by Gov. Spencer Cox to become law.
Under the language of the law, enforcement is up to State Auditor Tina Cannon, who can fine violators.
A spokesperson for the auditor said in a statement Wednesday that the auditor is “prepared and ready to comply with its statutory duty and implement HB 77 as required by 63G-1-704(4)(a).”
The spokesperson added, “As with any audit, any pending investigations or complaints received will be held confidential until a finding has been issued.”
During her remarks to the council Tuesday evening, Mendenhall quoted McCay but did not mention him by name, referring to comments he made in 2023 when Utah adopted a new official state flag.
“Specifically, the Utah state senator once said, ‘People don’t rally behind the flag, they rally behind the ideals and principles the flag represents.’ In each of these flags, our city’s residents see that representation,” Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall also quoted previous remarks made by Schultz, one of the bill’s other major proponents, but again without mentioning him by name.
“It was recently said that ‘symbols displayed in classrooms and government buildings should represent unity,’ and I agree with that today more than ever before,” the mayor said, referring to comments Schultz made last month after a Deseret News poll concluded that a plurality of Utahns support the flag ban.
