SALT LAKE CITY — Less than a week after Utah's new state flag became official, it's already facing a new challenge that would will take it to the ballot box.
A group has filed referendum that will leave it up to Utah residents on whether they want a new flag or not.
Last Thursday, the Utah State Legislature passed Senate Bill 31 to approve the new flag, but it didn't come without controversy. Many claimed the updated version erases state history and that the longtime Utah flag has worked fine since its creation.
"We feel like the symbols on the [current] flag are so significant to us. The sego lilies, the beehive, the eagles," said Ellen Jeppson, the president of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, last month.
If it succeeds, the referendum would allow the people of Utah to vote on whether to allow the new flag to fly over the Beehive State, but it won't be easy. To qualify for the ballot, the group must gather nearly 137,000 verified signatures.
