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DES MOINES — Republican legislators want to make sure flags flying at public buildings and schools are serving only patriotic — and not other — purposes.

Sens. Roby Smith, R-Davenport, and Jake Chapman, R-Adel, are promoting a bill slated for Senate subcommittee consideration that says custodians of public buildings or public school boards “shall only be authorized” to raise U.S., state of Iowa, POW/MIA and official flags of the political subdivisions on flagstaffs at buildings owned, operated or under their control.

Senate Study Bill 3017 is the legislators’ response to an event last November when a flag representing the transgender community, with blue, pink and white stripes flew, for up to five minutes at the Iowa Capitol building.

The flag was flown at the request of the LGBTQ advocacy group Iowa Safe Schools in honor of the Nov. 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance, which commemorates people who have died due to anti-transgender violence.

State officials say the incident was the result of two Department of Administrative Services employees failing to follow proper protocol for flying flags, but Chapman said many viewed it as inappropriate.