JUNE 4, 2025 — Missoula, Montana, has officially adopted the LGBTQ Pride flag as one of its city flags, positioning the city in direct response to a new state law that restricts which flags may be displayed on government property, according to reporting by The Hill.
The Missoula City Council voted 9–2 on Monday to recognize the Pride flag as an official city flag.
The decision coincided with the start of Pride Month and follows the recent enactment of House Bill 819, which prohibits the display of any flag on government property that is not among a select list, including U.S., state, tribal, and municipal flags. Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law on May 13.
Supporters of the resolution described the vote as both symbolic and practical, enabling the Pride flag to remain visible on public property in Missoula, including schools.
Missoula City Attorney Ryan Sudbury confirmed the legal interpretation behind the council’s move, says the Montana Free Press. Because the city did not previously have an official flag, designating the Pride flag as “an” official flag fits within the legal framework without repealing an existing emblem.
He added that HB 819 does not restrict where a municipality’s official flag may be displayed, effectively allowing the Pride flag to be flown at government buildings statewide if adopted by a local government.
Similar actions have been taken in other cities, including Salt Lake City and Boise, where officials responded to state-level bans by adopting the Pride flag as a municipal symbol.
