Provisions
of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated
Relative to Georgia, U.S., and Confederate Flags
Sec. 50-3-1.
Description of state flag; militia to carry flag.
The flag of the State of Georgia shall be a vertical band of blue occupying
one-third of the entire flag nearest to the flagstaff. The remainder of the
space shall be a square, two-thirds the length of the flag, having a red
background with a broad saltire of blue bordered with white on which 13 white
mullets or five-pointed stars, corresponding in number to that of the
Confederate States of America as recognized by the Confederate States Congress,
are emblazoned; so that such remainder shall be the same as the union of the
flag of the Confederate States as approved and cited in Statutes at Large of the
Confederate States Congress, 1st and 2nd Sessions, 1862-63, 1863-64, and
approved May 1, 1863, such remainder being popularly known as the Battle Flag of
the Confederacy. On the blue field shall be stamped, painted, or embroidered the
coat of arms of the state. Every force of the organized militia shall carry this
flag when on parade or review.
Sec. 50-3-2. Pledge of allegiance to state flag.
The following is adopted as the pledge of allegiance to the state flag:
"I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and to the principles for which it
stands: Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation."
Sec. 50-3-3. Display of state flag.
The state flag shall be displayed on appropriate occasions in the public and
private schools of this state and in all patriotic meetings, and the citizens of
the state are requested to take the pledge of allegiance set out in Code Section
50-3-2.
Sec. 50-3-4. Designation of Secretary of State as custodian of state flag;
procurement and furnishing of flags to schools.
The Secretary of State is designated as the custodian of the state flag. From
funds made available for such purpose, the Secretary of State shall procure
suitable state flags; and he shall be authorized to furnish, without cost, to
the various public schools of this state, to the superior and state courts, and
to other departments and agencies of the state, counties, or municipal
authorities, such flags for their use in displaying same. From such funds he is
authorized to procure such flags and facsimiles thereof as may cause the flag
sufficiently and properly to be made known and displayed.
Sec. 50-3-4.1. School superintendents and administrative officials authorized
to display copies of national motto and American and Georgia flags in certain
places; means of acquisition.
(a) Local school superintendents of the public schools in this state and the
appropriate administrative officials of the various institutions and agencies of
this state, provided that sufficient funds or the items themselves are available
as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, are authorized to place a
durable poster or framed copy representing the following which may be displayed
in each public elementary and secondary school library and classroom in this
state and in each public building or facility in this state which is maintained
or operated by state funds:
(1) Our national motto, "In God We Trust";
(2) A true and correct representation of the American flag, which shall be
centered under the national motto; and
(3) A true and correct representation of the Georgia state flag.
(b) The copies or posters authorized by this Code section shall either be
donated or shall be purchased solely with funds made available through voluntary
contributions to the local school boards in the case of displays in public
schools or to the Georgia Building Authority in the case of displays in state
buildings and facilities.
Sec. 50-3-5. Preservation of Confederate flags.
The flags of the Georgia troops who served in the army of the Confederate
States, and which have been returned to the state by the United States
government, shall be preserved for all time in the capitol as priceless mementos
of the cause they represented and of the heroism and patriotism of the men who
bore them.
Sec. 50-3-6. Display of Spanish-American War flags.
The flags of the Georgia regiments which engaged in the Spanish-American War
shall be displayed in the corridors of the capitol in a manner similar to those
of the Confederate regiments.
Sec. 50-3-7. Duty of Governor to accept flags.
When any flag referred to in Code Section 50-3-5 or 50-3-6 is offered to the
state, it shall be the duty of the Governor to accept it in behalf of the state
and to make such provisions for its preservation as may be necessary to protect
and preserve it from the ravages of time, dust, and moths.
Sec. 50-3-8. Use of national, state, or Confederate flag for advertising,
selling, or promoting the sale of merchandise unlawful.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to copy, print,
publish, or otherwise use the flag of the United States, the flag, coat of arms,
or state emblem of the State of Georgia, or the flag or emblem of the
Confederate States of America, or any flag or emblem used by the Confederate
States of America at any time within the years 1860 to 1865, both inclusive, for
the purpose of advertising, selling, or promoting the sale of any article of
merchandise whatever in this state.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Code section, any person, firm, or
corporation which contracts with the state to publish an official publication
shall be authorized to use the state emblem on the cover of the publication.
Utilization by the contracting person, firm, or corporation of the cover of the
publication, with the state emblem thereon, for advertising purposes shall not
constitute a violation of subsection (a) of this Code section.
Sec. 50-3-9. Abuse of federal, state, or Confederate flag unlawful.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to mutilate, deface,
defile, or abuse contemptuously the flag of the United States, the flag, coat of
arms, or emblem of the State of Georgia, or the flag or emblem of the
Confederate States of America by any act whatever.
Sec. 50-3-10. Use of flag for decorative or patriotic purposes.
Nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent the use of the flag of the
United States or any flag, standard, color, shield, ensign, or other insignia of
the State of Georgia or of the Confederate States of America for decorative or
patriotic purposes, either inside or outside of any residence, store, place of
business, public building, or school building.
Sec. 50-3-11. Penalty.
Any person, firm, or corporation who violates any provision of Code Section
50-3-8 or 50-3-9 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.