Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- LGBTQ advocates are asking Gov. Spencer Cox to veto HB77, which prohibits certain flags, including pride flags, in school classrooms.
- Rep. Trevor Leet, the bill sponsor, argues that the measure is meant to assure political neutrality in taxpayer-funded spaces.
- Cox hasn't ruled out vetoing HB77 but seems inclined in favor of the bill.
SALT LAKE CITY — An LGBTQ advocacy group is asking Gov. Spencer Cox to veto a proposal that would prohibit gay pride flags in classrooms and public buildings, though the governor seems inclined to sign the measure into law.
HB77 "strips away local control and targets the freedom of speech of Utah's communities," Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah, said in a letter Monday to Cox.
Furthermore, the letter, also signed by Equality Utah Policy Director Marina Lowe, said HB77 sends a signal that Utah isn't a welcoming place. "At a time when businesses, families, groups and talented individuals are looking for places that welcome and support all communities, this bill tells them that Utah is not the place. It risks damaging our reputation as a state that values inclusion, economic growth and community strength," they wrote.
Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, the HB77 sponsor, responded, saying the measure is about maintaining political neutrality in public spaces. The bill spells out specific flags that are allowable in school classrooms and other public buildings, including U.S. and Utah flags, university flags, flags of the U.S. military branches and a handful of others. Rainbow pride flags aren't mentioned, and because they aren't on the list of allowable flags, they're prohibited.
"It's not an infringement on freedom of speech. These are taxpayer-funded entities that should be politically neutral. They are already forced to keep religion out, and political groups or movements are no different," Lee said in an email.
Last Friday, the last day of the 2025 legislative session, Cox expressed reticence about vetoing HB77, though he didn't rule it out. When he's been approached by HB77 critics asking that he veto the bill as a show of support for the LGBTQ community, he's asked them if they would be comfortable if a Make America Great Again flag were flying in their child's classroom. LGBTQ advocates maintain that pride flags were the key target of HB77.
"And the answer is always, 'No, I would not be comfortable with that.' I said: 'OK, well this is the issue. Why are we having these battles in the classroom or in our offices as elected officials or as bureaucrats in government? If you would not feel comfortable, then we should be neutral on that, and let's just save that for our homes and our advocacy,'" he said. "And so I think that's kind of where my mind is right now, but I'm obviously open to other discourse and other discussion."
Asked about the measure during a House hearing late last month, Lee said the political flag ban wouldn't apply to the personal offices of teachers or state and local employees. It would apply to classrooms, where students gather, and public areas of the city and other government offices, including outdoor flag poles.
Apart from free speech questions, the Equality Utah leaders characterized HB77 as a means of meddling in local governance.
"HB77 sends a message that the state is willing to override local governance to suppress the visibility of Utah's many differing communities. This contradicts Utah's long-standing values of local decision-making and freedom of speech. Importantly, bringing cities and counties into the scope of the legislation sets a dangerous precedent that the state can silence the speech rights of local governments," Williams and Lowe wrote.
Salt Lake City officials flew a gay pride flag outside the Salt Lake City-County building on Friday, as the session ended, and shined rainbow colors on the building in a seeming show of opposition to HB77. The flag would be prohibited there as of May 7, the bill's effective date if it becomes law. "That is our statement," a city rep responded when asked about the significance of the flag raising.
Lee, though, offered a counterpoint.
Some school districts have flag policies of their own, but they're not followed because they have no enforcement mechanism, he said. Moreover, it's the state's role to react when constituents speak out. When "huge groups of Utahns" in cities like Salt Lake City "don't like their government entity pushing a political agenda, the state has an obligation to protect all Utahns," Lee said.
Contributing: Bridger Beal-Cvetko, Carter Williams
