A legislative committee will hold a public hearing Thursday on legislation that would designate days to honor French Canadians and Native Americans, months for the Irish and Italians, a commission for Bosnians and a congratulatory resolution for the Chinese.
And you thought the budget was a distraction.
Of the seven bills and resolutions up for a hearing by the government administration and elections committee, five are for ethnic groups, one would name a building for former Lt. Gov. Joseph J. Fauliso and another cryptically refers to correcting the spelling of the name of the founder of the Knights of Columbus.
Rep. Ernest Hewett, D-New London, wants the first Friday after Thanksgiving to designated Native American Day.
Sen. Gary Lebeau, D-East Hartford, and Rep. Russell Morin, D-Wethersfield, think June 24 would be a good day for French Canadians. On that date in 1880, O Canada was publicly performed for the first time. The day also is celebrated as the National Holiday of Quebec.
Sen. Steven Cassano, D-Manchester, is the sponsor a bill designating March as Irish Heritage Month and October as Italian Heritage Month. Parades aren’t enough?
Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, has two bills up for a hearing. One would create a Bosnian Affairs Commission to support a growing ethnic group in Hartford. The other would require DPW to find a building worthy of bearing the name of Fauliso, the former state senator and lieutenant governor from Hartford.