| 1 | 1 | | Session of 2025 |
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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE BILL No. 200 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By Senators Alley, Argabright, Billinger, Blasi, Blew, Bowers, Bowser, Joseph |
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| 4 | 4 | | Claeys, Clifford, Corson, Dietrich, Erickson, Fagg, Faust Goudeau, Francisco, |
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| 5 | 5 | | Gossage, Haley, Holscher, Klemp, Kloos, Masterson, Murphy, Owens, Peck, |
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| 6 | 6 | | Petersen, Pettey, Rose, Ryckman, Schmidt, Shallenburger, Shane, Starnes, Sykes, |
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| 7 | 7 | | Thomas, Thompson, Titus, Tyson, Ware and Warren |
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| 8 | 8 | | 2-5 |
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| 9 | 9 | | AN ACT concerning purple heart awards; designating Kansas as a purple |
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| 10 | 10 | | heart state; requiring the governor to declare August 7 of each year as a |
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| 11 | 11 | | purple heart day. |
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| 12 | 12 | | Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Section 1. (a) The state of Kansas is hereby designated as a purple |
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| 14 | 14 | | heart state in recognition of the many citizens of the state who have earned |
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| 15 | 15 | | the purple heart medal as a result of being wounded while engaged in |
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| 16 | 16 | | combat with an enemy force. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) Each year, the governor shall issue a proclamation recognizing the |
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| 18 | 18 | | purple heart day, to be observed on August 7 of each year, following the |
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| 19 | 19 | | tradition established by George Washington in 1782 and revived in 1932 |
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| 20 | 20 | | that distinguishes the purple heart as a decoration of honor awarded to |
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| 21 | 21 | | members of the armed forces and United States citizens who were |
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| 22 | 22 | | honorably wounded in action. The award has been limited to members of |
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| 23 | 23 | | the military since 1997 by congressional action. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (c) The executive director of the office of veterans services shall |
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| 25 | 25 | | promote the observance of purple heart day with appropriate activities and |
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| 26 | 26 | | direct each local chapter of all veterans' organizations to plan special |
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| 27 | 27 | | activities and events to honor the purple heart recipients in each chapter. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (d) All residents of this state are enjoined to devote some portion of |
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| 29 | 29 | | purple heart day to recognizing and commemorating the recipients of the |
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| 30 | 30 | | purple heart who have demonstrated a commitment to fighting for the |
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| 31 | 31 | | ideals that have made this nation great, have served this nation so valiantly |
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| 32 | 32 | | and are role models for all to emulate. |
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| 33 | 33 | | Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its |
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| 34 | 34 | | publication in the statute book. |
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