Bill Text: CA SCR79 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Portuguese Heritage Month.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 44-27)

Status: (Passed) 2010-06-02 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 24, Statutes of 2010. [SCR79 Detail]

Download: California-2009-SCR79-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: SCR 79	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 24, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 20, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Denham
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Mendoza)
    (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members 
 Adams,   Ammiano,   Anderson,  
Arambula,   Beall,  Bill Berryhill,   Tom
Berryhill,   Blakeslee,   Block,  
Blumenfield,   Bradford,   Brownley,  
Buchanan,   Caballero,   Charles Calderon, 
 Carter,   Chesbro,   Conway,   Cook,
  Coto,   Davis,   De La Torre,  
De Leon,   DeVore,   Emmerson,   Eng,
  Feuer,   Fletcher,   Fong,  
Fuentes,   Fuller,   Furutani,   Gaines,
  Galgiani,   Garrick,   Gilmore, 
 Hagman,   Harkey,   Hayashi,   Hill,
  Huber,   Huffman,   Jeffries,  
Jones,   Lieu,   Logue,   Bonnie
Lowenthal,  Ma,   Miller,   Monning, 
 Nestande,   Niello,   Nielsen,  
John A. Perez,   V.B Manuel Perez,   Portantino,
  Ruskin,   Salas,   Silva,  
Skinner,   Smyth,   Solorio,   Audra
Strickland,   Swanson,   Torlakson,  
Torres,   Torrico,  Tran,   and Yamada
  ) 

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2010

   Relative to Portuguese Heritage Month.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 79, as amended, Denham. Portuguese Heritage Month.
   This bill would recognize the month of June as Portuguese Heritage
Month.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, In September of 1542, Portuguese explorer Joao Rodrigues
Cabrillo sailed a ship into San Diego Bay and became the first
European to explore the land now known as California. Cabrillo
explored the California coast, and is credited with numerous coastal
discoveries; and
   WHEREAS, Mathias de Sousa was the first Portuguese immigrant on
record, arriving in Maryland in 1634. Mr. de Sousa and other early
Portuguese immigrants came to the United States to escape persecution
because of their Jewish faith; and
   WHEREAS, In 1870, Portuguese immigrants began arriving in the
United States in relatively large numbers. The majority of these
Portuguese immigrants were men from the Azores, who were primarily
recruited to work on American whaling ships and to farm; and
   WHEREAS, Many Portuguese Americans settled in the Santa Clara and
San Joaquin Valleys. The thriving agricultural industry of the late
19th and 20th centuries virtually guaranteed a job for anyone who was
willing to work; and
   WHEREAS, Between 1900 and 1940, as much as one-half of the
Portuguese community in California owned or operated a dairy farm,
worked on a dairy farm, or worked in a dairy-supporting industry.
Applying the Portuguese belief in hard work and thriftiness, along
with additional labor from family members, a Portuguese settler could
earn enough to reinvest in his business, buying land and more dairy
cows; and
   WHEREAS, On Sundays, Portuguese Americans often congregate to
celebrate their native religious festivals. In particular, they
celebrate the Blessed Sacrament festival, the Holy Ghost festival,
the Santo Cristo festival, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima, and
more recently, Dia de Portugal. These festivals provide an
opportunity for young children to experience the culture of their
ancestors who immigrated from Portugal. The festivals are famous for
good food, laughter, bloodless bull fights, art, and native dances.
In the San Joaquin and Santa Clara Valleys, large gatherings and
cultural events are held to celebrate Portuguese American
contributions to California society; and
   WHEREAS, In 1994, the University of California, Berkeley
established The Portuguese Studies Program. Included among the many
goals of the program is the goal "to spotlight the crucial and
complex but often overlooked experience and contributions of the
Portuguese American community"; and
   WHEREAS, Among the great Portuguese Americans who have contributed
significantly to this country are: composer John Philip Sousa, best
known for composing "Stars and Stripes Forever"; poet Emma Lazarus,
best known for her sonnet about the Statue of Liberty, "The New
Colossus"; architect William L. Pereira, best known for designing the
Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco; and singer and actress Carmen
Miranda. Many Portuguese Americans have also served with distinction
in local, state, and federal office; and
   WHEREAS, Portuguese Americans have truly made valuable and
substantial contributions to every facet of California life.
Portuguese Americans continue to thrive in agricultural communities
of the Santa Clara and San Joaquin Valleys. The Portuguese Heritage
Society of California designated the second Saturday of June as a day
to celebrate Portuguese culture through music, dance, art, cooking,
parades, and other festivities; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares June as the
month of celebrating Portuguese national heritage; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.