Welcome to

A motion to remove a Confederate symbol from the State Senate’s seal seemed like it had unanimous approval. But as Matt Galka tells us, the idea almost got derailed.

A week and a half ago, the Senate rules committee unanimously voted to rid the Senate’s seal of the Confederate battle flag and swap it with another.

“The flags on the current rule appear to represent Sovereign nations, however our research established that the Confederacy was never legally a Sovereign nation,” said Sen. David Simmons (R-Altamonte Springs), the chamber’s rules chair.

The proposal would remove the Confederate Battle flag seen here on the Senate Seal and replace it with the current state flag of Florida, but before a full vote could be taken, Senator Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island) questioned the move. He was shocked they were even taking the issue up when they were supposed to be focusing on district maps.

“If you look at all the flags I think you would find that there were things that occurred in the name of some of those flags that history has now looked upon as abhorrent and terrible,” he said.

That’s when things hit a snag. The motion to change the seal was temporarily postponed. A delay that was filled with backroom discussions eventually gave way to a unanimous approval of the rule change.

Tampa Democrat Arthenia Joyner, who originally brought up the proposal, said she was shocked there was even a question about it.

“Removing all the other flags, in my opinion, is not the answer. The issue is to remove this painful symbol of oppression and suppression that black people endured in the era of slavery,” she said.

The rule change only effects the Senate, but a bill has been filed that would remove the confederate flag from all state grounds.

The seal is in various places around the Capitol including in and around the Senate chambers and on stationary. All of the seals will need to be replaced.