Springfield, IL – Illinois is one step closer to officially recognizing the Honor and Remember Flag after legislation sponsored by Illinois Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) passed out of the Senate on Thursday, May 11.

“The Honor and Remember Flag is a powerful symbol of the sacrifices made by our men and women of our armed forces,” said Sen. Rezin. “So often, gold star family members want assurance that their loved one’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain and that our nation will never forget that sacrifice. By officially recognizing this flag and what it means, we can help ensure that no gold star family member has to ever wonder about that.”

Senate Bill 1072 designates the Honor and Remember Flag as the official State symbol of concern for and commitment to honoring and remembering the lives of all members of the United States armed forces who have lost their lives while serving or as a result of service and their families.

“The Honor and Remember Flag began its story after Cpl. George ‘Tony’ Lutz II was killed in action while on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. While coping with this traumatic loss, Tony’s father sought to create a symbol that specifically acknowledged American service men and women who lost their life while in the line of duty that could be easily displayed and recognized by anyone, at any time or at any place,” continued Sen. Rezin. “In that effort, the Honor and Remember Flag was born. This flag was quickly adopted by the gold star family community and has become the unofficial symbol for our nation’s fallen heroes.”

Senate Bill 1072 received unanimous support in the Illinois Senate, and now heads to the Illinois House of Representatives for further consideration.