Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H8101 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	HR 8101 2025
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10	10	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
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12	12	House Resolution 1
13	13	A resolution designating May 18, 2025, as "Haitian 2
14	14	Flag Day" in the State of Florida. 3
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16	16	WHEREAS, the Republic of Haiti, an island nation located in 5
17	17	the West Indies on the western third of the Island of 6
18	18	Hispaniola, declared its independence from French colonial rule 7
19	19	on January 1, 1804, following a slave revolt under the 8
20	20	leadership of Generals Toussaint L'Ouverture, Jean -Jacques 9
21	21	Dessalines, and Alexandre Pétion, becoming the first and only 10
22	22	state created from a successful slave rebellion, and 11
23	23	WHEREAS, Haiti was the first independent nation in Latin 12
24	24	America and the first postcolonial independent nation led by 13
25	25	blacks in the world, and 14
26	26	WHEREAS, observed every year on May 18, Haitian Flag Day 15
27	27	was celebrated secretly in Haiti during United States occupation 16
28	28	from 1915 to 1934 and was first celebrated in communities around 17
29	29	the world in the late 1990s, and 18
30	30	WHEREAS, the Haitian flag known today, which was officially 19
31	31	adopted in 1806 by President Alexandre Pétion, is emblazoned 20
32	32	with the country's coat of arms and the colors red and blue, 21
33	33	adopted from the flag of France, the country from which Haiti 22
34	34	gained its independence, and 23
35	35	WHEREAS, General Jean -Jacques Dessalines is re garded as the 24
36	36	father of the Haitian flag and, according to Haitian historical 25 
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45	45	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
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47	47	tradition, was known to have dramatically cut the French 26
48	48	tricolor with his saber at the May 1803 Arcahaie conference, 27
49	49	ripping away the white of the French flag to symbolize an en d to 28
50	50	European influence and leaving two strips that Catherine Flon 29
51	51	then sewed back together: the blue, which represented the former 30
52	52	African slaves brought to Haiti by colonial powers, and the red, 31
53	53	which symbolized people of mixed European and African desce nt, 32
54	54	and 33
55	55	WHEREAS, the Haitian flag is a definitive symbol of pride 34
56	56	for the Caribbean nation, having become the second republic, 35
57	57	after the United States, to defeat a European colonial power in 36
58	58	the Americas, and 37
59	59	WHEREAS, Haitian Flag Day events are annually observed and 38
60	60	celebrated with pride and enthusiasm throughout Florida and the 39
61	61	United States, and 40
62	62	WHEREAS, as educators, authors, community leaders, 41
63	63	activists, athletes, artists, musicians, and politicians, 42
64	64	Haitians and Haitian Americans have left an indel ible mark on 43
65	65	every facet of this nation's society and the world, evidenced by 44
66	66	the accomplishments of such icons as Jean Baptiste Point du 45
67	67	Sable, founder of the City of Chicago; civil rights activist 46
68	68	W.E.B. Du Bois; National Football League player Pierre Ga rҫon; 47
69	69	author and candidate for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2009, 48
70	70	Frankétienne; and Tony Award -winning actress and singer Nikki M. 49
71	71	James, and 50 
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82	82	WHEREAS, an estimated 1.2 million persons of Haitian 51
83	83	descent now reside in the United States, and more than 235,000 52
84	84	Haitian Americans live in southern Florida alone, and 53
85	85	WHEREAS, Haitian Flag Day recognizes the Haitian and 54
86	86	Haitian-American communities and acknowledges their culture and 55
87	87	heritage, which have enriched the lives of the people of this 56
88	88	state and nation, NOW, THEREFORE, 57
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90	90	Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 59
91	91	Florida: 60
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93	93	That May 18, 2025, is designated as "Haitian Flag Day" in 62
94	94	the State of Florida. 63