Flags across US and Florida at half-staff in honor of Sen. Feinstein

Flags across the U.S. are flying at half-staff this week in honor of Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

While several states from Virginia to California have issued their own proclamations about flying the flag at half-staff, nothing has been posted so far on Florida's flag memorandum website.

Feinstein, a trailblazer for women in politics in California and Washington who spent more than 30 years in the U.S. Senate, died Sept. 28 at the age of 90.

She was the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history.

Why is the flag flying at half-staff today?

President Joe Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff  "as a mark of respect for the memory of Senator Dianne Feinstein."

Where should flags be flown at half-staff?

The U.S. flag should be flown at half-staff at the White House and at all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all federal naval vessels.

Biden also directed the flag be flown at half-staff at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

How long will the flag be at half-staff?

Flags will be flown until sunset on the day of Feinstein's interment, scheduled for Oct. 5.

Are flags flying at half-staff in Florida?

Depends on where you look.

As of 12:30 p.m. Oct. 2, Florida's flag memorandum website has not posted anything about flying the U.S. flag or the Florida flag at half-staff at state public buildings.

However, a copy of an email to Brian Fienemann, director of real estate development, was sent out to followers by flags@eog.myflorida.

Dated Sept. 29, the email from DeSantis' office directed "flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds throughout the State of Florida from midnight (on the 29th) until sunset on the day of interment."

At the Leon County library and courthouse, flags were flying at half-staff, but flags were flying normally at the federal courthouse in Tallahassee Monday morning. Flags were also flying at half-staff at the state Capitol and at Tallahassee City Hall.

The last time an order was given for both U.S. and state flags to fly at half-staff in Florida was for Patriot Day Sept. 11.

On Sept. 23, DeSantis directed the Florida flag to be flown at half-staff at the Pasco County Courthouse, City Hall in Dade County and the State Capitol in Tallahassee in honor of former Rep. Dale Patchett.

What was Feinstein known for?

"Senator Dianne Feinstein was a pioneering American and a true trailblazer," Biden said in a proclamation issued after Feinstein's death.

"In San Francisco, she showed enormous poise and courage in the wake of tragedy, and became a powerful voice for American values.  In the United States Senate, she turned passion into purpose, and led the fight to ban assault weapons, also making her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties."

She was known as an ally and longtime champion for LGBTQ rights.

She also was instrumental in fighting for an assault weapons ban in 1994 and enshrining marriage equality into law in 2022. She ushered in Amber Alerts and the Violence Against Women Act.

Her positions run counter to DeSantis' reputation. Earlier this year, new state laws enacted by DeSantis and the GOP-led Legislature banned the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms, along with proposals to roll back the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.

Is it half-mast or half-staff?

On ships and at naval stations ashore, flags are flown at half-mast.

On shore, flags are flown at half-staff.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: DeSantis email orders flags across Florida to fly at half-staff