---
title: SB 537. Education; schools that receive state funds from displaying any flag other than the flag of the United States or the flag, coat of arms, or state emblem of the State of Georgia; prohibit
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb537
cite_as: SB 537, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb537
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb537.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb537/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73417
date: 2026-02-20
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb537.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 537
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-19
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Marty Harbin
- Chuck Payne
- Shawn Still
- Ricky Williams
- Billy Hickman
- Timothy Bearden
- John Albers
- Max Burns
- Mike Hodges
- Jason T. Dickerson
- Drew Echols
- Sam Watson
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB537/2025
upstream_id: 2120638
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school flag policy
- public education
- state funding conditions
- free speech in schools
---
# SB 537. Education; schools that receive state funds from displaying any flag other than the flag of the United States or the flag, coat of arms, or state emblem of the State of Georgia; prohibit
## Text
Senate Bill 537
By: Senators Harbin of the 16th, Payne of the 54th, Still of the 48th, Williams of the 25th,
Hickman of the 4th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to general provisions relative to education, so as to prohibit schools that receive state
funds from displaying any flag other than the flag of the United States or the flag, coat of
arms, or state emblem of the State of Georgia; to make it unlawful for any individual to
display or cause to be displayed a flag subject to such prohibition; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions relative to education, is amended by adding a new Code section to read
as follows:
"20-1-13.
(a) Each elementary, secondary, and postsecondary school in this state which receives in
any manner funds from the state shall be prohibited from displaying, in any manner, at any
time, and at any place in any facility owned, leased, or operated by such school for
educational purposes, a flag other than the flag of the United States or the flag, coat of
arms, or state emblem of the State of Georgia.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any individual to display or cause to be displayed any flag that
is prohibited under subsection (a) of this Code section."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia Senate bill would ban public schools and colleges that get state funding from displaying any flag other than the United States flag or Georgia's flag, coat of arms, or state emblem, and would make it illegal for individuals to display a banned flag on school property.
### Plain-language summary
Currently Georgia law does not restrict which flags schools can display. This bill would add a new section to Georgia's education code (O.C.G.A. ยง 20-1-13) that bars any elementary, secondary, or postsecondary school receiving state funds from displaying, anywhere on property it owns, leases, or operates for educational purposes, any flag except the United States flag or Georgia's flag, coat of arms, or state emblem.
The bill also makes it a crime for any individual to display or cause to be displayed a prohibited flag at such a school. The bill does not specify a penalty for this new offense or set an effective date beyond the standard process, and it repeals any conflicting laws.
### What it does
- Bars any Georgia school (elementary, secondary, or postsecondary) that receives state funds from displaying any flag other than the U.S. flag or Georgia's flag, coat of arms, or state emblem.
- Applies the ban to all facilities the school owns, leases, or operates for educational purposes, at any time.
- Makes it unlawful for any individual to display or cause to be displayed a banned flag at a covered school.
- Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with this new rule.
### Who it affects
Public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools in Georgia that receive state funding, along with their administrators, teachers, and staff who might display flags, and any individual, such as a student, employee, or visitor, who might put up a flag on school property.
### Why it matters
Schools that currently display flags such as pride flags, historical flags, or other symbolic banners would have to remove them or risk violating state law. Individuals who put up a prohibited flag on school grounds could face legal consequences, changing what visual displays are allowed in Georgia's publicly funded schools.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code section 20-1-13(a), prohibiting any school receiving state funds from displaying any flag besides the U.S. flag or Georgia's flag, coat of arms, or state emblem, anywhere on school-owned or operated property.
- Section 1 also adds subsection (b), making it unlawful for any individual to display or cause the display of a flag banned under subsection (a).
- Section 2 repeals any Georgia laws that conflict with this new provision.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-19)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-20)
- Sponsors: Marty Harbin, Chuck Payne, Shawn Still, Ricky Williams, Billy Hickman, Timothy Bearden, John Albers, Max Burns, Mike Hodges, Jason T. Dickerson, Drew Echols, Sam Watson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73417
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb537.md?full=1