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By Dana Ferguson

The State Emblems Redesign Commission is set to meet Tuesday to again narrow the field of finalists for a new Minnesota state flag and possibly tweak their previous pick for the new state seal.

The panel will hold a public meeting on a Capitol campus building in St. Paul to review public comments and get closer to picking a new state flag.

Members have already whittled more than 2,000 proposals to six last month. In the time since, they have discussed possible modifications to the designs and taken them on the road for public feedback.

Earlier this year, the Legislature set up the commission and gave them a responsibility to replace the state’s current flag and seal with ones that “accurately and respectfully reflects Minnesota’s shared history, resources, and diverse cultural communities.” The designs can’t single out a community or person in particular.

Members have a deadline at the end of the year to pick a winner. That flag will take flight in May, barring a legislative veto.

Last week, the panel settled on a design for an official state seal that includes a loon and some other features symbolic of Minnesota. Members said they would probably change a few features slightly before giving it their ultimate signoff.