A. Any person who shall contemptuously or maliciously tear down, burn, trample upon, mutilate, deface, defile, defy, treat with indignity, wantonly destroy, or cast contempt, either by word or act, upon any flag, standard, colors or ensign of the United States of America, shall be guilty of a felony.
B. The word "defile" as used in this section shall include public conduct which brings shame or disgrace upon any flag of the United States by its use for unpatriotic or profane purpose.
C. The terms "flag", "standard", "colors", or "ensign" of the United States as used in this section shall include any picture, representation or part thereof which an average person would believe, upon seeing and without deliberation, to represent the flag, standard, colors or ensign of the United States of America.
Added by Laws 1919, c. 72, p. 113, § 2. Amended by Laws 1967, c. 298, § 1; Laws 1971, c. 1, § 1, emerg. eff. Feb. 17, 1971; Laws 1997, c. 133, § 176, eff. July 1, 1999.
NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 176 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.