HB 765 2025
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hb765-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to Celia Cruz Day; creating s. 683.27, 2
F.S.; designating October 21 of each year as "Celia 3
Cruz Day"; providing an effective date. 4
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WHEREAS, Celia Cruz, internationally known as the "Queen of 6
Salsa," was born on October 21, 1925, in Cuba, where West 7
African and European traditions merged to create a rich musical 8
climate that allowed Celia to become a musical talent with a 9
fluid, diverse repert oire, and 10
WHEREAS, in 1950, Celia Cruz joined the orchestra La Sonora 11
Matancera and, in her 15 years with La Sonora Matancera, 12
recorded 188 songs, one of which, "Burundanga," won Celia her 13
first gold record, and 14
WHEREAS, Celia Cruz was bestowed many nati onal and state 15
honors, including the National Medal of Arts in 1994 ; the Grammy 16
Award in 1990, 2003, and 2004 ; the Latin Grammy Award in 2000, 17
2001, 2002, and 2004 ; the Aplauso 92 Award for Best Latin Female 18
Vocalist in 1989, 1991, and 1992 ; the Lo Nuestro Excellence 19
Award in 1990; the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame Honor in 20
1994; the Andalusia Award for Universal Artist in 1996 ; the 21
Telemundo Network Artist of the Millennium Award in 1999 ; and 22
the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumous ly, 23
in 2016, and 24
HB 765 2025
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hb765-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
WHEREAS, Celia Cruz received a star on the "Hollywood Walk 25
of Fame" in Hollywood and the "Calle Ocho Walk of Fame" in 26
Miami, and she was also awarded honorary doctoral degrees from 27
the Florida International University and the University o f 28
Miami, and 29
WHEREAS, most recently, a collectible Barbie doll that 30
commemorates Celia Cruz was released, and 31
WHEREAS, Celia Cruz's image appeared on the Forever Latin 32
Music Legends stamps issued by the United States Postal Service 33
in 2011, and she is th e first Afro-Latina to be featured on a 34
United States currency, the 2024 quarter, NOW, THEREFORE , 35
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 37
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Section 1. Section 683.27, Florida Statutes, is created to 39
read: 40
683.27 Celia Cruz Day. —October 21 of each year is hereby 41
designated as "Celia Cruz Day" in the state. 42
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 43