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The loon will be featured on the official Great Seal of the State of Minnesota. The State Emblems Redesign Commission unanimously voted Tuesday to move forward with "design S224" as the basis for the seal. Aspects of the design may still be modified, including dates, language, design of the stars, and colors, the commission reported. Commissioners also listened to testimony from the public during Tuesday’s meeting. They will meet in person Dec. 12 to discuss design modifications to the state seal and continue work to decide on Minnesota’s next state flag, using the six finalists as the basis for the flag, including one from Cloquet artist Sarah Agaton Howes.

The commission was established in the 2023 legislative session and asked to develop and adopt a new design for the official state seal and a new design for the official state flag no later than Jan. 1.