Legislation introduced in southern Idaho could carry consequences more than 450 miles away in Boundary County.  

House Bill 561, introduced by the House State Affairs Committee and championed by Idaho Rep. Ted Hill, R-Eagle, would restrict the types of flags that can be flown by government entities in Idaho. Although Hill has led the effort, he is not a member of the State Affairs Committee, which formally introduced the bill. 

Bonners Ferry has flown the Canadian flag since 1987 in a public park dedicated that year by U.S. and Canadian leaders. The flag symbolizes the importance of Canadians to Bonners Ferry, which is just 30 miles south of the U.S.-Canada border. 

The bill was reported out of committee with a “do pass” recommendation and has been filed for a second reading before the House. 

Unless other action is taken, the bill will automatically advance to a third reading on the next legislative day. During the third reading, the bill will be debated and a final vote on passage will be taken. If passed, the bill will move to the Senate. 

Hill said the Pride flag had been flying for five years (in Boise), which he felt was unfair. 

“I was kind of going, ‘Well, wait, that’s enough,’” Hill said. “All they really needed to do is change it out. But they refused, so that’s not fair.” 

Hill said he believes Bonners Ferry should not be affected by the bill. However, city officials say they have not heard back from the House of Representatives regarding a letter approved Feb. 3 arguing that Bonners Ferry should receive an exemption to continue flying the Canadian flag. 

“It shouldn't have any real impact on you guys,” Hill said. “It should not be a problem.” 

Hill said activists had pushed for the Pride flag to be flown, which he felt was not inclusive. 

“The City Council (in Boise) said, ‘We’re making the city flag the Pride flag,’” Hill said. “That’s classy, because here you’re putting a flag to represent the city that represents 2% of the population. That’s ridiculous. Ninety-eight percent of people — it doesn’t represent them and a lot of people don’t like it.” 

“It’s inappropriate for the government to endorse or sanction or provide some exception for one particular group or another,” Hill said.  

Part of Hill’s motivation for creating the proposed bill, he said, was to prevent other flags from being flown on government property in Idaho.

“In places like Minneapolis and also up in Michigan, they’re starting to put up Muslim flags and so it’s kind of preempting that,” Hill said. “There has to be something that’s neutral that represents everybody.” 

Hill said he has no issue with private entities flying any flags they want, adding that he does not believe the bill suppresses freedom of speech. 

“They can do communist flags. That’s fine. There’s no restriction,” Hill said. “You can do it all day long, whatever flag you want, wherever you want. It doesn’t suppress the freedom of speech.” 

“They just can’t do it on government flagpoles,” he said. 

A previous version of the bill included a clause allowing the Basque flag to be flown, but that provision has since been removed.