State Representative Scott Van Binsbergen said on April 29 he opposes a bill from House Democrats that would reduce state funding to cities and counties choosing to fly the old Minnesota state flag instead of the new version.
The proposed legislation, House File 5077, would decrease local government aid by ten percent for municipalities or counties displaying any flag other than the official design adopted in 2024. This comes as several local governments have opted to continue flying the traditional 1983 version rather than the new flag chosen by a commission in 2023.
Van Binsbergen said this funding is crucial for communities. “It’s hard to believe House Democrats are threatening to cut funding that supports critical services just because some communities may want to fly the old flag,” Van Binsbergen said. “A lot of people look at the new flag, question its inspiration and would rather go with the old flag. I would like to go back to the old flag myself, but there is something larger at stake here than a piece of fabric. I oppose this bill because Minnesotans should be free to recognize and honor the state’s history without facing retaliation from Big Brother.”
He also noted that while a commission selected the new design, it was not directly approved by voters or legislators; instead, state law allowed for automatic adoption of their choice as of May 11, 2024. Since then, some residents and city governments—including Champlin, Zumbrota, Elk River and Inver Grove Heights—have continued displaying the former state flag on public property. Current law does not require local governments to display only the official design.
According to Van Binsbergen, Republicans oppose this measure in an evenly divided House and say it faces additional challenges since it was introduced after key legislative deadlines had passed and lacks a companion Senate bill.
The debate reflects ongoing divisions over Minnesota’s new symbols and raises questions about how much authority local governments should have regarding historic displays.
