Is Illinois About To Get A New State Flag?

Illinois's state flag may be getting a brand-new design after staying the same for over a century.

According to NBC Chicago, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1818 (named after the year that Illinois became a state) on Monday. But it's not a bill to create a new state flag.

The bill creates the Illinois Flag Commission, whose job it is to evaluate the state's current flag and they'll decide whether or not it's time to design and make a new one. That process will be done on September 1st of this year.

And Why Exactly?

State Sen. Doris Turner sponsored the bill. She argues that Illinois is diverse, with big cities like Chicago and also large and small Midwestern communities. She says those are not currently reflected in the state's flag. She said in a statement:

Illinois is a diverse state made up of rural, urban and suburban communities, and is known for its agriculture, strong workforce, home of Abraham Lincoln and more. Our flag doesn’t show that. It’s time we have a flag that truly represents our state.

Her hope is that a new flag would bring back some Illinois pride in the state's residents.

What Would A New Flag Look Like?

There haven't been any possible designs released but here are a few freaking fabulous ones I came up with that I think would work well for Illinois's state flag.

If the commission does decide to adopt a new state flag, they will have to choose the design no later than December 3, 2024.

What would you put on a new state flag for Illinois? Let us know in the app chat!