Dear Governor Cox:
The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah (ACLU of Utah) urges you to veto HB77, Flag Display Amendments, another bill that would wield the government’s power to restrict and undermine free expression and dignity in our schools and public spaces.
HB77 would ban the display of Pride flags in public schools and on government property, restricting free expression and sending a clear message that some students and community members are not welcome or protected. The government should not be in the business of banning symbols that help people feel seen and welcomed. Beyond stoking fear among LGBTQ+ Utahns, this bill sets a dangerous precedent that threatens free speech for everyone.
From the start, we have said HB77 is not about protecting personal freedoms—it’s about control. The bill sponsor’s comments at the Capitol and public events make the intent clear: this isn’t about flags but about othering and erasing LGBTQ+ people from public life. This bill also takes decision-making away from local communities—the people who know their schools, towns, and neighbors best—and hands it to politicians at the Capitol. Teachers, school boards, and local governments should be free to decide what conduct reflects their values, not be forced to follow a top-down mandate that tells them what they can and can’t display.
It’s clear the bills being sent to your desk are part of a larger agenda. Since 2022, you have enabled the Legislature to curtail the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and attempt to push these Utahns out of public life. Today, it’s Pride flags. Tomorrow, it very well could be broader restrictions on speech, education, or expression for even more Utahns.
For these reasons, we urge you to veto HB77.
