H 3839

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1257  FILED ON: 1/14/2025
 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3839
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _________________
  PRESENTED BY:
  Carole A. Fiola and Hannah Kane
  _________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
   Court assembled:
   The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
    An Act relative to recognition of the "Honor and Remember" flag in the Commonwealth.
  _______________
  PETITION OF:
NAME:  DISTRICT/ADDRESS:  DATE ADDED:
Carole A. Fiola  6th Bristol  1/14/2025
Hannah Kane  11th Worcester  1/14/2025
Kimberly N. Ferguson  1st Worcester  2/24/2025
Bradley H. Jones, Jr.  20th Middlesex  1/29/2025
Brian W. Murray  10th Worcester  1/22/2025
John C. Velis  Hampden and Hampshire  3/10/2025
Steven George Xiarhos  5th Barnstable  1/25/2025
  1 of 1
  HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1257  FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3839
    By Representatives Fiola of Fall River and Kane of Shrewsbury, a petition (accompanied by bill,
    House, No. 3839) of Carole A. Fiola, Hannah Kane and others for legislation relative to
    recognition of the "Honor and Remember" flag in the Commonwealth. Veterans and Federal
    Affairs.
  [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
  SEE HOUSE, NO. 3498 OF 2023-2024.]
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
    An Act relative to recognition of the "Honor and Remember" flag in the Commonwealth.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
    of the same, as follows:
1Chapter 2 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
2Section 64. (a) The Honor and Remember Flag created by Honor and Remember, Inc.
3 shall be designated as the symbol of the Commonwealth’s concern and commitment to honoring
4 and remembering the lives of all members of the United States Armed Forces who have lost their
5 lives while serving, or as a result of service, and their families. The Honor and Remember Flag’s
6 red field shall represent the blood shed by brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for
7 freedom; the Flag’s white field and border shall recognize the purity of that sacrifice; the Flag’s
8 blue star shall be a symbol of the active service in military conflicts that dates back to World
9 War I; the Flag’s gold star shall signify the ultimate sacrifice of a warrior in active service who
  1 of 3
10 will not return home and shall reflect the value of the life given; the folded Flag shall highlight
11 this nation’s final tribute to a fallen service member and a family’s sacrifice; and the Flag’s
12 flame shall symbolize the eternal spirit of the departed. The Flag shall be a unifying symbol
13 recognizing this nation’s solemn debt to the estimated 1.6 million fallen service members
14 throughout history and the families and communities who mourn their loss.
15(b) When flown on the same pole or pole formation as other flags, The Honor and
16 Remember flag shall be flown beneath any American Flag, flag of the Commonwealth, or
17 Prisoners of War/Missing in Action flag that may also be flown on said pole or formation. The
18 Honor and Remember flag shall never be larger than the American flag flown on the same pole
19 or in the same formation of poles.
20(c) The Honor and Remember Flag should be in good condition if flown, free from rips,
21 stains, or significant fading.
22(d) The Honor and Remember Flag shall be displayed by those wishing to honor and
23 remember the lives of all members of the United States Armed Forces who have lost their lives
24 while serving, or as a result of service, and their families on the following days:
25(1) Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May;
26(2) Memorial Day, the last Monday in May;
27(3) Flag Day, June 14;
28(4) The Fourth of July;
29(5) National POW/MIA Recognition Day;
  2 of 3
30(6) Veterans Day, November 11;
31(7) Gold Star Mother's Day, the last Sunday of September; and
32(8) Whenever there is a military casualty in the Commonwealth.
33(e) Nothing in this act shall be interpreted as a mandate to purchase or display an Honor
34 and Remember flag by any individual, organization, municipality, or agency.
  3 of 3