Utah made headlines as it became the first state in the nation to ban the display of Pride flags in public schools and government buildings. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox did not sign the bill, which prohibits flying non-approved flags, including the Pride flag. This decision led to backlash from critics and caused Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival to announce its move to Colorado from its longtime Utah home.
The new law, HB77 entitled Flag Display Amendments, allows for fines to be levied against entities that violate the ban on non-approved flags. Gov. Cox expressed concerns that the bill did not go far enough to ensure neutrality in the classroom, and warned that it could create further division in an already deeply divided state.
Equality Utah, which had previously warned that the passage of the new law might cause the Sundance Film Festival to leave Utah, expressed disappointment at the festival’s departure. The group highlighted the economic impact of the festival on the state and the cultural significance it held for LGBTQ Utahns.
In response to the new law, a group of Utahns unfurled a giant Pride flag on the state’s capitol steps in protest. The law is set to take effect in May, and it is unclear if there will be challenges against it in the courts. Cox’s decision not to sign the bill has sparked conversations about LGBTQ rights and inclusion in the state.
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