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SR 8665

Acknowledging the Lunar New Year.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Andy Billig and 24 co-sponsors

Formally acknowledges Lunar New Year 2024 as Year of the Dragon and expresses the Senate's solidarity with Washington's AANHPI communities, urging unity in crisis and celebration.

Adopted.
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Bill Summary · SR 8665

Summary: Senate Resolution 8665 – Acknowledging the Lunar New Year

Overview

  • Bill type: Senate Resolution (SR)
  • Bill number: SR 8665
  • Title: Acknowledging the Lunar New Year
  • Status: Adopted
  • Introduced: February 5, 2024
  • Legislative action: Adopted by the Senate on February 5, 2024
  • Classification: Resolution (non-binding expression of the Senate’s stance)

Purpose and Intent

SR 8665 formally acknowledges and celebrates the Lunar New Year, specifically designated as the Year of the Dragon for 2024. The resolution expresses solidarity with and recognition of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities in Washington, highlighting their heritage, contributions, and ongoing resilience in the face of discrimination and violence. It frames the Lunar New Year as a time for reflection, family and community, renewal, and growth, and it calls on the Senate to unite with AANHPI communities in both times of crisis and celebration.

Key Provisions and Provisions in the Resolution

  • Recognizes that the Lunar New Year begins on the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar and identifies 2024 as the Year of the Dragon, symbolizing strength, determination, boldness, courage, and growth.
  • Acknowledges the rich heritage of AANHPI communities and the collective trauma experienced by their ancestors.
  • Commends the contributions of AANHPI communities to Washington’s development and vibrancy, noting their resilience in the face of past and present discrimination and violence.
  • Emphasizes solidarity, cultural heritage, and ancestral respect within AANHPI communities, and their role in supporting descendants and community well-being.
  • Describes the Lunar New Year as a time for reflection, celebration of family and community, and learning from the past to inform renewal and growth.
  • Declares that the Senate stands with the AANHPI community in times of crisis and celebration, urging reflection on the past year and envisioning new beginnings in acknowledgment of the Lunar New Year.

Who Is Affected

  • AANHPI communities in Washington State are directly acknowledged and supported by the resolution.
  • All Washington residents are indirectly affected through increased awareness and affirmation of multicultural heritage and inclusion.
  • State institutions and public bodies may reference or observe the sentiments of this resolution as a symbol of inclusivity.

Procedural and Timeline Notes

  • The resolution was introduced on February 5, 2024, and adopted on the same day.
  • As a resolution, the measure is a formal expression of the Senate’s views and does not create new legal obligations, fiscal impacts, or regulatory requirements.

Context and Impact

  • SR 8665 serves as a symbolic gesture to recognize and honor Lunar New Year and the AANHPI community’s contributions and experiences in Washington.
  • It aims to foster cultural awareness, inclusivity, and solidarity within the state government and broader society without imposing mandates.

If you’d like, I can add a short plain-language explainer suitable for a public-facing briefing or a one-paragraph lay summary for a newsletter.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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