Both houses of the Mississippi Legislature voted Saturday to suspend their rules and consider a bill that will bring down the current state flag.
Both houses needed a two-thirds majority vote to suspend their rules. In the House, the vote was 84-35, and it was 36-14 in the Senate.
The bill that can now be considered proposes the establishment of a commission that will redesign the flag and put new design options before voters in November. Under that bill, the current flag would be stripped from state law, and there would be no flag until a new one is adopted.
Legislators are expected to begin considering the bill Sunday. A simple majority vote in both houses is all that is needed for its passage.
Gov. Tate Reeves said Saturday he would sign any flag bill sent to him by legislators.
Pine Belt lawmakers who voted "yes" to suspending the rules and considering the bill are as follows:
Sen. Juan Barnett, District 34 (Forrest, Jasper and Jones), Democrat.
Sen. John Polk, District 44 (Lamar and Pearl River), Republican.
Rep. Larry Byrd, District 104 (Forrest), Republican.
Rep. Kent McCarty, District 101 (Lamar), Republican.
Rep. Missy Warren McGee, District 102 (Forrest and Lamar), Republican.
Rep. Jansen T. Owen, District 106 (Pearl River and Lamar), Republican.
Rep. Percy W. Watson, District 103 (Forrest), Democrat.
Pine Belt lawmakers who voted "no" to suspending the rules and considering the bill are as follows:
Sen. Joey Fillingane, District 41 (Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar and Smith), Republican.
Sen. Chris McDaniel, District 42 (Forrest and Jones), Republican.
Sen. Chris Johnson, District 45 (Forrest and Perry), Republican.
Rep. Ken Morgan, District 100 (Lamar and Marion), Republican.
Rep. Bill Pigott, District 99 (Lamar, Marion and Walthall), Republican.
