From May 7, all local government offices will be fined $500 (around 5,000 kronor) if they fly any flag other than the few allowed flags. Among the prohibited flags are also political flags supporting a party or candidate – including flags supporting President Donald Trump.
Republican Governor Spencer Cox announced that the law was adopted after he chose not to veto it – despite not supporting the proposal himself. A veto, he says, would only be overridden in the state congress.
The ban may create some conflict in Salt Lake City, the relatively liberal metropolis in Utah where local political leaders have recently illuminated public buildings with rainbow colors in protest.
In a statement, Spencer Cox addresses LGBTQI groups in Utah, saying he "loves" them and is grateful for their being part of the state's community.
"I know this may sound like empty words, but you should know that they are sincerely meant," he writes.
