# General Provisions (GGP)

## Title 7. Emblems; Designations; Commemorative Days and Months

### Subtitle 2. Flags

#### Section 7-201

The Maryland flag is the State flag.

#### Section 7-202

(a) The State flag is divided into quarters.

(b) The first and fourth quarters are a paly of six pieces, or (gold) and sable (black), and a bend dexter (right diagonal band) counterchanged, so that they consist of six alternating gold and black vertical bars with a diagonal band on which the colors are reversed.

(c) The second and third quarters are quartered argent (white) and gules (red), a cross bottony counterchanged, so that they consist of a quartered field of white and red, charged with a Greek cross that has arms terminating in trefoils and opposite coloring so that red is on the white quarters and white is on the red quarters, as represented on the escutcheon of the State seal.

#### Section 7-203

Only a gold cross bottony may be used as an ornament on the top of a flagstaff that carries the State flag. 

#### Section 7-204

(a) The flag of the United States and the State flag shall be flown from the State House as provided in this section.

(b) When the General Assembly is in session, the flag of the United States and the State flag shall be flown continuously.

(c) When the General Assembly is not in session, the flag of the United States and the State flag shall be flown:

  (1) continuously on each day that the Governor designates as a public occasion; and

  (2) between sunrise and sunset on any other day when the weather permits.

(d) The State flag shall be flown with the black stripe on the diagonal bands of the first quarter at the top of the flagstaff, as shown in the illustration of the State flag in "Chronicles of Colonial Maryland".

#### Section 7-205

(a)

  (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

  (2) "Flag to honor and remember members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty" means:

    (i) a flag created by Honor and Remember, Inc.; or

    (ii) the flag designated by the United States Congress as the official symbol to honor and remember members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty.

  (3) "POW/MIA flag" means the Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) flag of the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia.

(b)

  (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, each year, the POW/MIA flag and a flag to honor and remember members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty shall be flown on the State House grounds on:

    (i) the third Saturday in May, for Armed Forces Day;

    (ii) May 30, for Memorial Day;

    (iii) the day that the United States Congress designates for the observance of Memorial Day, if other than May 30;

    (iv) the Saturday and Sunday that are closest to May 30, unless the United States Congress designates another day for the observance of Memorial Day, in which case, the Saturday and Sunday that are closest to the day designated by the United States Congress;

    (v) July 4, for Independence Day;

    (vi) the third Friday in September, for POW/MIA Recognition Day;

    (vii) November 11, for Veterans' Day;

    (viii) the day that the United States Congress designates for the observance of Veterans' Day, if other than November 11; and

    (ix) the Saturday and Sunday that are closest to November 11, unless the United States Congress designates another day for the observance of Veterans' Day, in which case, the Saturday and Sunday that are closest to the day designated by the United States Congress.

  (2) If the United States Congress designates a flag as the official symbol to honor and remember members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty, the flag designated by Congress instead of the flag created by Honor and Remember, Inc., shall be flown in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection.

#### Section 7-206

A flag of the United States or a State flag that is displayed on State property and purchased with State money must be manufactured in the United States.

#### Section 7-207

(a)

  (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

  (2) "Eligible decedent" means:

    (i) an employee of the State or any political subdivision who died as a result of:

      (1) an accidental injury that arose out of and in the course of employment with the State or political subdivision; or

      (2) an injury caused by a willful or negligent act of a third person, directed against the employee in the course of employment with the State or political subdivision;

    (ii) a current or former constitutional officer, as defined in Sec. 29-305 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article;

    (iii) a current or former member of the General Assembly;

    (iv) a current or former Governor of the State;

    (v) a judge, as defined in Sec. 1-101 of the Courts Article;

    (vi) an individual who currently holds or formerly held any of the positions identified in Sec. 29-304 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article; or

    (vii) any other individual whom the Governor designates through an executive order.

  (3) "Political subdivision" has the meaning stated in Sec. 4-101 of this article.

  (4) "Wholly produced in the United States" means a flag that contains only:

    (i) materials and components that are grown, manufactured, or created entirely in the United States;

    (ii) processing components, including spinning, weaving, dyeing, and finishing, that are performed entirely in the United States; and

    (iii) materials that have been manufactured and assembled entirely in the United States.

(b)

  (1) On request, the Secretary of State shall furnish a State flag to drape the casket of an eligible decedent.

  (2) The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations establishing a process to:

    (i) submit a request under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and

    (ii) verify that a request under paragraph (1) of this subsection is being made on behalf of an eligible decedent.

(c)

  (1) After the burial of an eligible decedent, the flag shall be:

    (i) claimed by and provided to the eligible decedent's next of kin; or

    (ii) provided to a close friend or an associate, if it is not claimed by the eligible decedent's next of kin.

  (2) Only one flag may be provided for the death of an eligible decedent under this section.

(d)

  (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary of State may not procure any flag under this section unless it is wholly produced in the United States.

  (2) The Secretary of State may waive the requirement under paragraph (1) of this subsection if it cannot be met reasonably.

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Md. Code Ann., Gen. Prov. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)