Staten Island’s flag could soon become official under New York City law.
On Thursday, the City Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations, State and Federal Legislation is scheduled to vote on a bill that would codify the borough’s current flag into law. The legislation also says the flag may be displayed at parades, receptions and other civic functions.
The unofficial flag was created by the office of then-Borough President James Oddo about a decade ago and replaced one that Oddo and other critics reportedly felt looked like a garbage dump. The newer flag has a beige background and a circular blue, green, white and cream-colored seal in the center. It features a woman holding a downturned sword and a shield bearing two turtle doves as she looks out over a body of water containing a large ship and a smaller boat.
Encircling the image are the words “Staten Island” and “City of New York,” along with the years 1609 and 1898. The latter marks the year Staten Island joined Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx to form the modern New York City.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Councilmember Frank Morano, who represents Staten Island’s South Shore, has been pushing for the flag to be officially recognized by the city since last fall, when it flew at City Hall for the month of October.
“It’s a proud moment for Staten Islanders, who’ve too often felt overlooked. Now, our flag is right where it belongs: front and center in New York City,” Morano wrote on social media at the time. “Now let’s take the next step with Int. 1388 to make Staten Island’s flag official in city law.”
That legislation was reintroduced in the current Council session as Int. 320 and has since been amended as proposed Int. 320-A. The measure has more than two dozen Council sponsors.
If the legislation becomes law, Staten Island would become the third borough to have its flag codified in the city’s Administrative Code. Brooklyn and the Bronx are the only boroughs whose flags are currently enshrined in city law, according to a City Council committee report.
It wouldn’t be the first attempt to put a Staten Island flag into law. In 2003, then-Assemblymember Robert Straniere introduced state legislation to officially recognize the borough’s previous flag, according to CRW Flags, a volunteer-maintained flag archive. The measure did not become law.
The Council’s Finance Division estimates the legislation would have no effect on city spending or revenue.
If the bill advances out of committee on Thursday, it would still need approval from the full City Council before going to Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
