| 1 | 1 | | 24 LC 55 0203 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Bill 1222 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Tran of the 80 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | , Au of the 50 |
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| 6 | 6 | | th |
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| 7 | 7 | | , Park of the 107 |
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| 8 | 8 | | th |
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| 9 | 9 | | , Hong of the 103 |
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| 10 | 10 | | rd |
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| 11 | 11 | | , and |
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| 12 | 12 | | Byrd of the 20 |
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| 13 | 13 | | th |
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| 14 | 14 | | |
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| 15 | 15 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 16 | 16 | | AN ACT |
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| 17 | 17 | | To amend Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1 |
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| 19 | 19 | | holidays and observances, so as to designate the appropriate date of each year as the "Lunar2 |
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| 20 | 20 | | New Year" in Georgia; to provide legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to3 |
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| 21 | 21 | | repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.4 |
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| 22 | 22 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5 |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 1.6 |
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| 24 | 24 | | The General Assembly finds that:7 |
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| 25 | 25 | | (1) The Lunar New Year marks the beginning of a new lunar calendar year, which8 |
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| 26 | 26 | | measures time based upon the cycles of the moon, and has been celebrated for thousands9 |
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| 27 | 27 | | of years in many countries;10 |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) According to one legend, Buddha invited the animals of the world to visit him on the11 |
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| 29 | 29 | | Lunar New Year, rewarding those who came by naming a year in their honor. Each12 |
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| 30 | 30 | | animal, in turn, gave its characteristics to those born during its year;13 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (3) The Lunar New Year is a festival of great importance in Asian American14 |
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| 32 | 32 | | communities. It promotes both goodwill and self-reflection and is a joyous occasion15 |
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| 33 | 33 | | welcomed annually with distinguishing festivities and much preparation;16 |
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| 34 | 34 | | H. B. 1222 |
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| 35 | 35 | | - 1 - 24 LC 55 0203 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (4) The celebration of the Lunar New Year is a tradition by which Asian Americans |
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| 37 | 37 | | 17 |
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| 38 | 38 | | proclaim the arrival of a new year and look forward to what the new year will bring;18 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (5) Each year, many people of this state unite to celebrate the Lunar New Year, joining19 |
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| 40 | 40 | | to commemorate Asian American joy, cultures, and diversity; and20 |
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| 41 | 41 | | (6) It is, therefore, abundantly fitting and proper that the State of Georgia appropriately21 |
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| 42 | 42 | | recognize and celebrate Asian American culture and tradition by designating the22 |
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| 43 | 43 | | appropriate date of each year as the "Lunar New Year" in Georgia.23 |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 2.24 |
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| 45 | 45 | | Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to holidays and25 |
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| 46 | 46 | | observances, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:26 |
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| 47 | 47 | | "1-4-27. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 27 |
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| 49 | 49 | | The date of each year that corresponds with the second new moon following the winter28 |
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| 50 | 50 | | solstice, or the third new moon following the winter solstice should an intercalary month29 |
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| 51 | 51 | | intervene, is designated as the 'Lunar New Year' in Georgia."30 |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 3.31 |
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| 53 | 53 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.32 |
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| 54 | 54 | | H. B. 1222 |
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| 55 | 55 | | - 2 - |
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