Several states are moving to ban LGBT Pride flags from state buildings, including schools. Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox (R) chose not to veto a bill passed by the state legislature that prohibits flying Pride flags at or in state buildings or schools, allowing the bill to become law and take effect in early May.

According to the provisions of the bill, state and local government buildings will be fined $500 a day for every day that they fly flags considered overtly “political.” Flags that will be allowed include the official U.S. flag, the Utah State flag, military flags, flags representing local cities or counties, university or public school flags, and a handful of other flags, such as U.S. Olympic Committee flags. In some places, flags will be permitted such as Republican or Democratic Party flags or the official flags of other nations or governments.

However, the flying of flags that represent other political or ideological movements will result in fines. While the provisions of the bill would bar the flying of President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” flag, the fact that Pride flags will be barred has generated much controversy. According to the Associated Press, local officials in Utah’s capital, Salt Lake City, have protested the bill’s passage by illuminating local government buildings with rainbow lights. Salt Lake City boasts a thriving LGBT culture, with the Salt Lake Tribune describing the capital as “one of America’s queerest cities.” Throughout the month of June, Pride events are frequent, and city officials frequently fly Pride or Progress flags. In fact, the city’s “Marmalade District” is decorated with Pride flags and banners almost year-round and houses numerous LGBT bars and nightclubs. A 2015 Gallup poll ranked Salt Like City as one of the top 10 U.S. cities in terms of population identifying as LGBT.

According to the bill’s Republican sponsors, Utah Rep. Trevor Lee and Senator Daniel McCay, the legislation is intended to foster “political neutrality,” particularly in schools. In comments to The Washington Stand, Family Research Council’s Senior Fellow for Education Studies Meg Kilgannon said, “To discuss the issue of banning Pride flags, let’s consider the reason the flags are in classrooms at all: to promote pride in sexual identities other than monogamous heterosexuality.” She asked, “Why is this necessary? Who decided to allow it?” In answer to her own question, Kilgannon continued, “This is obviously yet another case of prioritizing adult desires and agendas over the wellbeing of children. Schools are not therapy centers or political rallying sites. Schools are created and funded to help parents educate children in academics, not sexualities.”

Joseph Backholm, senior fellow for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council, told TWS that the flag law looks like an effort to “ensure equal treatment of different religious perspectives.” He explained, “No one would object if they were removing Christian or Muslim flags from classrooms because that’s normal and people have become convinced that public school classrooms are not the place to teach religion.” He continued, “But they have missed the fact that the LGBT revolution is, in significant ways, its own religion — with clear moral beliefs, holidays, methods through which offenders can find redemption, and excommunication for those who refuse to repent.” While Backholm posited that “political neutrality” is “not actually achievable,” he added that “if we’re going to pretend to be neutral on religious matters, we should remove all symbols that represent clear religious and moral belief systems not just ones the government wants to remove.”

Idaho’s state legislature has just passed a bill similar to Utah’s. Last week, Idaho’s senate approved a bill already approved in the state’s house of representatives, prohibiting state or local government buildings or organizations from flying any flags except for the official U.S. flag, state flags, official flags of government organizations, military and military-related flags, Idaho university and school flags, and a handful of other official flags. Four Republicans in Idaho’s senate voted against the bill, which is on its way to the desk of Governor Brad Little (R).

Once again, the banning of LGBT Pride flags has become a focal point of discussion surrounding the legislation. State Senator Melissa Wintrow (D), for example, said, “I understand that in my neighborhood now, when we want to celebrate and unite under this rainbow flag and support our community, that is going to be taken from us by the state.” She added, “This is two blocks [of Pride flags taken] off my street.”

Backholm commented, “While America has attempted to pursue religious neutrality, moral neutrality is not achievable, because every law we pass will represent a moral claim about what is good and bad, desirable and undesirable.” He continued, “Because we will always be making moral statements, Christians should do our best to make sure the moral statements we make are true and helpful.” Backholm added, “Part of that is making sure we don’t promote the symbols of ideas that are harmful for individuals and civilizations, and that appears to be what Utah and Idaho are doing.”