§ 55.1-1951 Display of the flag of the United States; necessary supporting structures; affirmative defense
A. In accordance with the federal Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-243), no unit owners’ association shall prohibit or otherwise adopt or enforce any policy restricting a unit owner from displaying upon property to which the unit owner has a separate ownership interest or a right to exclusive possession or use the flag of the United States whenever such display is in compliance with Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code (4 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.) or any rule or custom pertaining to the proper display of the flag. A unit owners’ association may, however, establish reasonable restrictions as to the size, place, duration, and manner of placement or display of the flag on such property, provided that such restrictions are necessary to protect a substantial interest of the unit owners’ association.
B. The unit owners’ association may restrict the display of such flags in the common elements.
C. In any action brought by the unit owners’ association under § 55.1-1959 for a violation of a flag restriction, the unit owners’ association shall bear the burden of proof that the restrictions as to the size, place, duration, and manner of placement or display of such flag are necessary to protect a substantial interest of the unit owners’ association.
D. In any action brought by the unit owners’ association under § 55.1-1959, the unit owner shall be entitled to assert as an affirmative defense that the required disclosure of any limitation pertaining to the flag of the United States or any flagpole or similar structure necessary to display the flag of the United States was not contained in the public offering statement or resale certificate, as appropriate, required pursuant to § 55.1-1976 or 55.1-2309.
History
This law was first created in 2007. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 854 and 910 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2010, chapters 166 and 453; in 2019, chapter 712; in 2023, chapters 387 and 388.
2007, cc. 854, 910, § 55-79.75:2; 2010, cc. 166, 453; 2019, c. 712; 2023, cc. 387, 388.