General Requirements

(1) The legal descriptions of the state flag, Governor's flag, naval and maritime flag, and the coat of arms and seal of Massachusetts and the authority under which the present specifications for them are issued may be found in M.G.L. c. 2, §§ 1 through 6. (a) The coat of arms of the commonwealth shall consist of a blue shield with an Indian thereon, dressed in a shirt, leggings, and moccasins, holding in his right hand a bow, and in his left hand an arrow, point downward, all of gold; and, in the upper right-hand corner ofthe field a silver star of five points. The crest shall be, on a wreath of gold and blue, a right arm, bent at the elbow, clothed and ruffled, and grasping a broad-sword, all of gold. The motto "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" shall appear in gold on a blue ribbon. (b) The seal of the commonwealth shall be circular in form, bearing upon its face a representation of the arms ofthe commonwealthencircled with the inscription within a beaded border. "Sigillum Reipublicae Massachusettensis". The colors of the arms shall not be anessentialpart ofsaid seal, and an impression from a seal engraved according to said design, on any commission, paper, or document shall be validwithoutsuchcolors or the representation thereof by heraldic lines or marks. (c) The flag of the commonwealth shall consist of a white rectangular field, bearing oneither side a representation of the arms of the commonwealth, except that the star shall be white. The naval and maritime flag of the commonwealth shall consist of a white rectangular field bearing on either side a representation of a green pine tree. (d) The flag of the governor shall conform to the designofthe flag of the commonwealth, except that the field of the flag of the governor shall be triangular in shape. (e) The state secretary shall be the custodian of the coat of arms, seal and flags of the commonwealth and all representations of said arms, seal and flags shall conform strictly to the specifications which shall be prepared under the direction of the state secretary in the year nineteen hundred and seventy-one and deposited in his office. The proper use and display of said arms, seal and flags of the commonwealth and their manufactureareherebysubject tosuch regulations relating thereto which the state secretary may from time to time issue, provided that such regulations shall be in conformity with flags shall be in conformity with all the relevant legislation of the United States and of the commonwealth. (f) The flag of the United States and the flag of the commonwealth should be displayed on the main or administration building of each public institution ofthe commonwealth. The flags shall be of suitable dimensions and shall be flown every day when the weather permits. (2) Manufacturers intending to sell the state and/or naval and maritime flags ofMassachusetts to any branch of any Federal, State, county, municipal, or other government agency within Massachusetts are required to submit to the Secretary of the Commonwealth one sample flag in each size to be manufactured, in order that he may determine whether the flags in question meet the design and quality requirements of the present specifications. (3) Alterations in the designs, proportions, and colors of the arms, seal, and flag given in these specifications are not authorized. (4) Notwithstanding 950 CMR51.01(3), the Secretaryofthe Commonwealth is authorized to issue revised specifications whenever changes in manufacturing techniques or flag usage make such changes necessary or advisable. (5) The apparent silence of these specifications as to any detail shall be regarded as meaning that only the best commercial practice is to prevail and that only materials and workmanship of the first quality are to be used. All interpretations of these specifications shall be made upon this basis.