The Capitol dome on Aug. 22, 2014.
Sen. Steve Bieda (D-Warren) is sponsoring a bill to create a contest to design a new flag for the state of Michigan.
“(The contest idea) sort of germinated into the idea of coming up with a new state flag that’s representative of the people and of our state and the very best our state has to offer,” Bieda said. “I do think that it’s something to promote both the interest in the state and our state’s history.”
According to the bill Bieda submitted to the Senate, the contest will start in 2018. Submissions for the design will be accepted from Jan. 26, 2018 until July 26, 2018. On Jan. 1, 2019, the state flag design will become the design winner.
“The contest (bill) … must go through the Senate, the House (of Representatives),” Bieda said. “I just recently introduced it, so it might be kind of doubtful whether it gets through or not, but I wanted to put this forward as an idea.”
There will be 17 people on the selection committee.
According to the bill, eight people will be appointed to the committee by people in Michigan’s government.
There will also be six judges who will be appointed from multiple universities in Michigan.
“(The judges) would be representatives of the universities that have art programs,” Bieda said.
Three people who are either professional artists or state historians will also be appointed to the committee however the contest is open to anyone who wants to submit an idea.
“Everybody would be encouraged to pursue the designs, it wouldn’t be restricted to anybody,” Bieda said.
Interior design sophomore Emily Trevarrow thought the contest would be a good idea.
“I’m sure people have a lot of good ideas, so that’s a good idea I think, to have a contest,” Trevarrow said.
Bieda knows some people are not happy with the idea of creating a new design for the flag.
“People will say ‘why are we doing this, why aren’t we leaving well enough alone?'” Bieda said. “I don’t think the idea of leaving well enough alone is anything that advances us as a people and I certainly know it’s nothing that advances us as a nation.”
Accounting freshman Kaylee Jester disagreed.
“I probably wouldn’t vote for it just because, what’s wrong with the one we have right now?" Jester said.
However, Bieda said he believes that Michigan needs a flag that represents the greatness of the state.
“I think we as Michiganders we need to the best we can to put the best face of our state forward,” Bieda said.
The bill is currently in the Senate and if it is approved it will move to the House of Representatives.
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