Mississippi House, Senate pass bill to change flag with Confederate emblem

The Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate passed a bill on Sunday to change the state's flag, which has a Confederate battle emblem in the corner.

The Mississippi state flag was adopted in 1894, and is the last one in the U.S. to feature a Confederate emblem. The bill creates a nine-member commission tasked with adopting a new flag without any Confederate emblems, which must include the words "In God We Trust." In November, the design will go before voters for approval. The House voted in favor of the bill 91-23, with the vote 37-14 in the Senate.

On Saturday, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) said if the bill passed this weekend, he would sign it, but on Sunday, a spokesperson told the Clarion Ledger he "does not want to rush this moment in history for our state. Once the legislature sends the final bill to his desk and he's had the opportunity to review it, Gov. Reeves will sign the bill in the coming days."

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