Gov. Crist Signs Flag Rights Bill
Navy War Veteran Made National Headlines
POSTED: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
UPDATED: 6:17 am EDT May 29,
2008
CLERMONT, Fla. -- Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday signed a bill into law preventing groups in Florida from prohibiting a person from flying a U.S. flag on their property.
IMAGES: Man Fights To Fly Flag
The new law comes a day after a Clermont man -- and Navy war veteran -- made national headlines when Local 6 News reported that his homeowners association threatened to file a lawsuit if he didn't remove a 19-foot flag pole from his front yard.Crist signed Senate Bill 1378, which states that a group "may not prohibit a person from flying a United States flag on that person's property from a flag pole that does not exceed 20 feet in height.""I just want to fly the flag," Jimmie Watkins said. "It is really a pleasure that Channel 6 has taken all of this action and helped push all of this through because without you guys, I would be going to court."The law firm representing the Sussex homeowners association in Clermont talked to Local 6 News in an exclusive interview."I think if something is going to happen from Gov. Crist's office, I think it's going to happen fairly quickly. I think that's all I'm willing to say," attorney Frank Ruggieri said prior to Crist signing the bill."Our people are serving today to give us freedom to do as we like here within the law of America," Watkins said earlier. "It is my right to fly my flag from my pole and until a court of law tells me to haul that down, I will not haul it down. I think about all of the people who have served our nation and all of the lives that it's cost and all of the friends that I've lost."Local 6 reported that all surrounding subdivisions -- except Sussex -- in Kings Ridge allow a flag pole display in a person's front yard.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
IMAGES: Man Fights To Fly Flag The new law comes a day after a Clermont man -- and Navy war veteran -- made national headlines when Local 6 News reported that his homeowners association threatened to file a lawsuit if he didn't remove a 19-foot flag pole from his front yard.Crist signed Senate Bill 1378, which states that a group "may not prohibit a person from flying a United States flag on that person's property from a flag pole that does not exceed 20 feet in height.""I just want to fly the flag," Jimmie Watkins said. "It is really a pleasure that Channel 6 has taken all of this action and helped push all of this through because without you guys, I would be going to court."The law firm representing the Sussex homeowners association in Clermont talked to Local 6 News in an exclusive interview."I think if something is going to happen from Gov. Crist's office, I think it's going to happen fairly quickly. I think that's all I'm willing to say," attorney Frank Ruggieri said prior to Crist signing the bill."Our people are serving today to give us freedom to do as we like here within the law of America," Watkins said earlier. "It is my right to fly my flag from my pole and until a court of law tells me to haul that down, I will not haul it down. I think about all of the people who have served our nation and all of the lives that it's cost and all of the friends that I've lost."Local 6 reported that all surrounding subdivisions -- except Sussex -- in Kings Ridge allow a flag pole display in a person's front yard.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
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- May 27, 2008: Vet Faces Lawsuit For Flying American Flag
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