SECTION 1-3-470. Lowering flags upon death in line of duty of firefighter or law enforcement officer. >> Top of Page
The Governor on the day of burial or other service for
any firefighter or law enforcement officer in this State who died in
the line of duty shall order all flags on state buildings to be flown
at half mast in tribute to the deceased firefighter or law
enforcement officer. The Governor shall also request that flags over
the buildings of the political subdivisions of this State similarly
be flown at half mast for this purpose.
SECTION 10-1-161. State Capitol Building flags flown at half staff. >> Top of Page
(A) On Memorial Day the flags, which are flown atop the State Capitol Building, must be displayed at
half-staff until noon, then raised to the top of the staff.
(B) To honor and pay tribute to the following public officials and individuals, the flags which are flown
atop the State Capitol Building must be lowered to half-staff on the day on which funeral services are
conducted for these public officials and individuals:
(1) current and past members of the United States Congress from the State of South Carolina;
(2) current constitutional officers of the State of South Carolina;
(3) former Governors and Lieutenant Governors of the State of South Carolina;
(4) current members of the South Carolina General Assembly;
(5) current members of the South Carolina Supreme Court;
(6) current and former Presidents of the United States; and
(7) members of the United States military services who were residents of South Carolina and who lost
their lives in the line of duty while in combat.
(C) As contained in this section, "half-staff" means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance
between the top and bottom of the staff.
(D) The flags atop the State Capitol Building must be flown at half-staff for a period of thirty days from
the date of death of the President or a former President; for a period of ten days from the date of death of
the Vice President, the Chief Justice, or a retired Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, or the
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; for a period of five days before the day of the
funeral through the date of the funeral for members of the United States military services who were
residents of South Carolina and who lost their lives in the line of duty while in combat, for which the
Division of Veterans' Affairs must notify the Office of the Governor of the scheduled funeral date; and
from the date of death through the date of interment of an associate justice of the United States Supreme
Court, or a secretary of a federal executive or military department, or a former Vice President.
(E) Upon the occurrence of an extraordinary event resulting in death or upon the death of a person of
extraordinary stature, the Governor may order that the flags atop the State Capitol Building be lowered
to half-staff at a designated time or for a designated period of time.
(F) The Governor may order the flags atop the State Capitol Building to be lowered to half-staff for the
same designated time when an act of the United States Congress or a presidential order is issued to lower
flags to half-staff over federal buildings.
(G) The flags atop the State Capitol Building, when flown at half-staff must first be hoisted to the peak
for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flags must be again raised to the peak before
they are lowered for the day.
(H)
(1) On any day where flags atop the State Capitol Building are flown at half-staff to honor and pay tribute
to more than one individual listed in subsections (B) or (D), the flags must be hoisted and lowered pursuant
to subsection (G) as many times as there are individuals to honor and pay tribute to that day.
(2) On any day where flags atop the State Capitol Building are flown at half-staff, the Governor shall, on a
conspicuous place on the website maintained by the Governor, identify the person or persons to which such
honor and tribute is being paid until the day of the funeral.
SECTION 53-3-165. POW/MIA Recognition Day. >> Top of Page
(A) The third Friday in September of each year is
declared to be "POW/MIA Recognition Day" in South Carolina. The
Governor shall issue a proclamation each year calling upon the people
of South Carolina to observe "POW/MIA Recognition Day" with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
(B) Flags atop state and local public buildings must be
flown at half staff at least until noon on "POW/MIA
Recognition Day".
(C) The POW/MIA flag shall be flown or displayed on
"POW/MIA Recognition Day" in South Carolina on the grounds or in
public lobbies if the flags are provided, except for the State
Capitol Building and the State House grounds.
(D) As used in this section, the term "POW/MIA flag"
means the National League of Families POW/MIA flag recognized
officially and designated by Section 2 of Public Law 101 355.
SECTION 1-10-10. Removal and Placement of Confederate Flag >> Top of Page
Flags authorized to be flown atop State House dome, in chambers of
Senate and House of Representatives and on grounds of Capitol Complex;
members' offices as "chambers"; private individual wearing, carrying or
displaying flag on capitol grounds. [SC ST SEC 1-10-10]
(A) As of 12:00 noon on the effective date of this act, and permanently
thereafter, the only flags authorized to be flown atop the dome of the
State House, in the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives,
and on the grounds of the Capitol Complex shall be as authorized in this section.
The flags authorized to be flown atop the dome of the State House and in the
chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives are the United States
Flag and the South Carolina State Flag. As of 12:00 noon on the effective date
of this act, the flag authorized to be flown at a designated location on the
grounds of the Capitol Complex is the South Carolina Infantry Battle Flag of
the Confederate States of America [the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern
Virginia (General Robert E. Lee's Army) the South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
Department version]. This flag must be flown on a flagpole located at a point
on the south side of the Confederate Soldier Monument, centered on the
monument, ten feet from the base of the monument at a height of thirty feet.
The flagpole on which the flag is flown and the area adjacent to the monument
and flagpole must be illuminated at night and an appropriate decorative iron
fence must be erected around the flagpole.
The South Carolina Infantry Battle Flag of the Confederate States of America
is square measuring fifty-two inches on each side, inclusive of the white
border, with a St. Andrews Cross of blue, edged with white, with thirteen
equal five-pointed stars, upon a red field, with the whole banner bordered
in white. The blue arms of the cross are 7.5 inches wide and the white
border around the flag proper is 1.5 inches wide. The stars are five-pointed,
inscribed within a circle six inches in diameter, and are uniform in size.
From any funds appropriated to the Budget and Control Board, the Division
of General Services of the Budget and Control Board, or its successor in interest,
shall ensure that the flags authorized above shall be placed at all times as
directed in this section and shall replace the flags at appropriate intervals
as may be necessary due to wear.
(B) The provisions of this section may only be amended or repealed upon passage
of an act which has received a two-thirds vote on the third reading of the bill in
each branch of the General Assembly.
(C) The term "chambers" of the House or Senate for the purposes
of this section does not include individual members' offices. The provisions of
this section do not prohibit a private individual on the capitol complex grounds
from wearing as a part of his clothing or carrying or displaying any type of flag
including a Confederate Flag.
