Staff photo by Fritz Busch The Minnesota state flag in use since 1957, updated in 1983 depicts a Native American riding a horse away from a white settler, continues to fly over the Brown County Veterans Council monument in front of the Brown County Courthouse in New Ulm. The flag was viewed by some individuals are a racist depiction of westward expansion. Recently, a number of Twin Cities metro area and rural city councils have voted to continue flying the 1983 version of the flag on city property.

NEW ULM — Cities and counties flying the 1983 version of the Minnesota state flag could wind up paying a heavy cost for it.

House File 5077, a bill authored by Minnesota Democrat Mike Freiberg, D-Golden Valley, would reduce local government aid to a county or city that uses “the incorrect state flag.”

Assistant Republican Leader Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, said earlier this week that state government should not penalize communities that choose not to fly the new version of the Minnesota state flag.

Torkelson said the bill, read and referred to the Legislature’s taxes committee April 30, would require state government to reduce a county’s or city’s government aid by 10% if that locality flies any flag other than the new flag.

“Current Minnesota law does not require local governments to fly the official Minnesota state flag,” he said. “When Democrats had complete control of state government in 2023, they established a 13-member commission to redesign Minnesota’s state flag and seal. The handpicked commission later introduced new flag and seal designs that were not formally approved by voters or the state legislature. Instead, the law that created the commission specified that its final flag selection would automatically take effect as the official state flag.”

Recently, a number of Metro Area and rural city councils, including the Fairmont City Council, voted to continue flying the 1983 version of the state flag on city property after hearing input from residents.

“Like it or not, the previous version of the Minnesota flag represents our history, and many people want to recognize our history,” Torkelson said. “We talk a lot about local control and freedom at the Capitol. This bill would restrict both goals. State government should not be forcing local governments to face financial punishment for choosing to fly an order version of the state flag.”

He said the selection process of the current state flag was “poorly handled.”

“Not all sides were considered during the committee selection process.”

Torkelson said the newer state flag version would have been better accepted with “genuine input from folks across the state.”

The 1983 version of the Minnesota state flag flies outside the Brown County Courthouse in New Ulm.

Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen said the 1983 version of the state flag is part of the Brown County Veterans Council Memorial.

“Brown County does in-kind maintenance for the veterans memorial including but the flags don’t belong to Brown County,” said Hansen.

He said the 2024 version of the state flag replaced the 1983 version of the state flag in the Brown County Boardroom.