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December 26, 2024 Clear | 25°F
The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  1. General Laws
  2. Part I ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
  3. Title I JURISDICTION AND EMBLEMS OF THE COMMONWEALTH, THE GENERAL COURT, STATUTES AND PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
  4. Chapter 2 ARMS, GREAT SEAL AND OTHER EMBLEMS OF THE COMMONWEALTH
  5. Section 6A Commonwealth flag; flying at half-staff

Section 6A

Section 6A: Commonwealth flag; flying at half-staff

Section 6A. The flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff at or on the main or administration building of each public institution of the commonwealth, at or on each other state-owned or state-controlled building, and at all state military installations on the following occasions for the periods indicated:—

(a) On all occasions upon which the national flag is flown at half-staff and for the same period of time;

(b) On the death of a governor or ex-governor of the commonwealth for thirty days from the day of death;

(c) On the death of a lieutenant-governor, secretary, treasurer and receiver-general, attorney general, or auditor of the commonwealth, from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment;

(d) On the death of a senator in congress from the commonwealth, from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment;

(e) On the death of a representative in congress from the commonwealth, the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff at the aforementioned sites in the representative's congressional district from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment;

(e1/2) On the death of a member of the general court, the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment at the aforementioned sites in the member's representative district on the death of a member of the house of representatives, and the member's senatorial district on the death of a member of the senate.

(e3/4) On the death of a former member of the general court, the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by or at the direction of the governor after consultation with the speaker of the house of representatives on the death of a former representative in the general court, or with the president of the senate, on the death of a former state senator.

(f) In the event of the death of other elected officials or former elected officials of the commonwealth, from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by or at the direction of the governor; and

(g) In the event two or more of the aforementioned periods coincide in full or in part, the state flag shall be displayed at half-staff for such period as will comply with the above provisions without resulting in an additional and separate period of such display for each such death.