The City of Missoula has found a work around for a new Montana Law forbidding the flying of Pride flags and other LGBTQ flags from schools or government buildings. It also restricts any flags that “represent a political party, race, sexual orientation, gender or political ideology.”
The Missoula City Council has voted to recognize the LGBTQ Pride flag as an official flag of the city. Council Member Mike Nugent said the resolution specifically recognizes the Pride flag as “an” official flag instead of “the” official flag because state statute doesn’t specify how a municipality can adopt a flag.
House Bill 819, carried by Rep. Braxton Mitchell, a Republican from Columbia Falls, was signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte. Similar laws are in effect in Idaho and Utah. The cities of Salt Lake City and Boise have adopted similar flags as their official city flags and, therefore, fly them over municipal buildings.
