(UTV | COLOMBO) – Politicians in the US state of Mississippi have passed a resolution to replace the state flag with one without the Confederate emblem.
Republican Governor Tate Reeves earlier said he would sign the legislation into law if approved by lawmakers.
Mississippi is the last state in the US to feature the emblem on its flag.
The Confederate emblem is viewed by many as a racist symbol, with recent protests over the death of George Floyd reigniting debate over its use.
The flag was originally used by the slave-owning states that lost the US Civil War (1861-65).
On Sunday, the measure passed in both chambers of the Mississippi legislature: in the House of Representatives by a margin of 91-23, and then in the Senate by a majority of 37-14.
Senators reportedly cheered when the results were announced.
Lawmakers voted in favour of proposing the bill on Saturday.
