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

624 words·~3 min read·/ma/part-i/title-i/chapter-2/6a

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

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.

(h)In the event of the death of any military service member performing military duty under official orders, who is killed while in an active duty status, including, but not limited to, a member of the United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Coast Guard, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States National Guard, United States Army Reserves and United States Space Force, and residing in the commonwealth, from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment, the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by, or at the direction of, the governor.

(i)In the event the remains of a POW or a MIA are repatriated within the commonwealth, from the day of arrival within the commonwealth through the day of interment the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff.

(j)Annually, on national POW/MIA recognition day, observed on the third Friday of September, from sunrise to sunset the flag of the commonwealth shall be flown at half-staff.