JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The House tabled a bill Thursday that would have allowed the state park board to decide whether the Confederate flag should again fly over Missouri's historical gravesites.

Several lawmakers decried the bill, arguing that the Confederate flag is offensive to many black Americans who associate it with slavery.

"I think this bill embraces racism," said Rep. Rodney Hubbard, D-St. Louis. "I think this bill right here demonstrates that there are individuals in our [legislative] body that do not want to work on race relations here in Missouri."

But supporters said the bill was about paying tribute to Confederate soldiers.

"For me this isn't an issue of racism," said Rep. Jim Avery, R-Crestwood. "This is an issue of respecting soldiers who died in this country and they are Confederate soldiers."

The legislation is in response to a January 2003 decision by Missouri Department of Natural Resources director Stephen Mahfood to remove Confederate flags that had long flown over the Confederate Memorial State Historic Site, a cemetery in Higginsville, and the Fort Davidson State Historic Site in Pilot Knob.

Mahfood's decision came after a call from Democratic Gov. Bob Holden's spokeswoman, Mary Still, informing him that U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt had said the Confederate battle flag should no longer fly "anytime, anywhere" because it is a divisive symbol. Gephardt, of St. Louis, was running for president at the time. Gephardt and Holden no longer are in office, and Mahfood is no longer director of the Department of Natural Resources.

Under the bill, the state park board would be given decision-making powers to determine any changes to state historical military sites, including whether to display the Confederate flag. The bill also would prohibit any other state agency from making changes to the sites without first getting approval from the eight-member board.

House Speaker Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill, said an informal survey among lawmakers had shown there likely was enough support to pass the bill had it come to a vote. Before setting aside the bill, the House defeated an amendment 77-61 that would have reversed part of the purpose of the bill by prohibiting the display of symbols representing "any sovereign nation that waged war" in Missouri.

"I don't have a problem at graves and cemeteries, if a Confederate soldier died, putting the flag in front of his grave," Jetton said.

Jetton said he was not sure if the bill would be brought up again before the session ends May 13.

If it passes the House, the bill would still have to go through the Senate -- making its ultimately passage unlikely considering the time constraints.

A similar bill was brought up for House debate on the eve of the last day of the 2004 session, but it also was set aside without a vote after encountering opposition.

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Confederate flag bill is HB491

On the Net:

Legislature: http://www.moga.state.mo.us