California Senate Bill SCR62 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SCR 62AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 9, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Senator Mendoza MAY 13, 2015 Relative to Portugal Day. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SCR 62, as amended, Mendoza. Portugal Day. This act would declare June 10, 2015, as Portugal Day to celebrate Portuguese national heritage. Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, In September  of  1542, Portuguese explorer Joo Rodrigues  Cabrillo   Cabrilho  sailed a ship into San Diego Bay,  thereby  becoming the first European to explore the land now known as California.  Cabrillo explored  Cabrilho's efforts included exploring  the California coast, and  he  is credited with numerous coastal discoveries; and WHEREAS,  In 1870,  Portuguese immigrants began arriving in the United States in relatively large  numbers. The majority of these Portuguese immigrants were   numbers beginning in 1870, with most of these immigrants being  men from the Azores,  who were primarily   who, for the most part, had been  recruited to  farm   and to  work on American whaling  ships and to farm;   ships;  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;   these pioneering Portuguese Americans were renowned for their work ethic and ingenuity, often reinvesting in their own businesses by buying more land and dairy cows;  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;   Miranda;  and WHEREAS, Portuguese Americans have  truly  made valuable and substantial contributions to every facet of California  life. Portuguese Americans continue to thrive in   life, such as within the thriving  agricultural communities of the Santa Clara and San Joaquin Valleys  and through service in local, state, and federal office  . Today, over 350,000 Portuguese Americans reside in  California.;   California;  and WHEREAS, Portuguese national literary icon Lus  Vaz  de Cames wrote Portugal's national epic poem, Os Lusadas, celebrating the  15th-century   15th century  Portuguese explorations  which   that  brought fame and fortune to the country. The poem, considered one of the finest and most important works in Portuguese literature, became a symbol for the great feats of the Portuguese Empire; and WHEREAS, Dia de Portugal, de Cames e das Comunidades Portuguesas, translated as "Day of Portugal, Cames, and the Portuguese Communities," commemorates the death of Lus  Vaz  de Cames on June 10, 1580; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares June 10, 2015, as Portugal Day, a day to celebrate 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.