DECLARATION OF "PATRIOT WEEK" S.B. 282:
FLOOR SUMMARY
[Please see the PDF version of this analysis, if available, to view this image.]
Senate Bill 282 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator John Pappageorge
Committee: Veterans, Military Affairs, and Homeland Security
CONTENT
The bill would create a new act to declare September 11 through 17 of each year as "Patriot Week" and encourage citizens, schools, and other entities to participate in Patriot Week.
Specifically, the bill states: "Recognizing that each generation needs to renew the spirit of America based on America's First Principles, key historical figures, founding documents, and symbols, the legislature declares that the period beginning on September 11 through September 17 of each year shall be known as 'Patriot Week' which symbolically begins on September 11 and concludes on September 17, Constitution Day." The bill would acknowledge the date of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, September 17, 1787, and that September 17 is recognized each year as "Constitution Day" throughout the United States.
The bill also would encourage "citizens, schools and other educational institutions, government agencies, municipalities, and nonprofit, religious, labor, community, and business organizations to recognize and participate in Patriot Week by honoring and celebrating the First Principles, key historical figures, founding documents, and symbols of America to renew the spirit of America".
The bill further states: "The legislature recognizes that understanding American history and America's First Principles are indispensable to the survival of our republic as a free people. In great reverence to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the legislature acknowledges that American citizens must take time to honor the First Principles, founders, documents, and symbols of their history."
The bill states, "Revolution, the rule of law, the social compact, equality, unalienable rights, and limited government are the First Principles upon which America was founded and flourishes." It identifies several historical figures as "[e]xceptional, visionary, and indispensable Americans", and lists certain documents, speeches, and Marbury v Madison (an early U.S. Supreme Court decision) as "key documents that embody America's First Principles and have advanced American liberty". The bill also identifies a number of flags that "are key physical symbols of American history and freedom that should be studied and remembered by each American".
Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 5-3-11 Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb282/1112