House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for HB2385 - Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Short Title
Designating the polka as the official state dance.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 19, 2020
Chairperson Barker opened the hearing on HB2385. Jason Long, Revisor, provided an overview on the bill (Attachment 4).
Chairperson Barker recognized Senator Vic Miller as a proponent on HB2385 (Attachment 5). He stated his research shows that 32 states have a state dance and 22 of those have square dance as their state dance. The polka is widespread in popularity and would be easily acceptable across Kansas as the state dance. He would encourage the Committee to pass this bill.
Chairperson Barker recognized Brooklyn Webb as a proponent on HB2385 (Attachment 6). She is the Kansas Czech Slovak Princess and is ten years old. She has been involved in the Wilson, Kansas Czech dance for the last five or six years. She has learned a lot about the Czech heritage through learning the Polka, and she encouraged the Committee to pass this bill.
Chairperson Barker stated that there was written proponent testimony from Jackson and Mariner Svaty (Attachment 7); Christy Dowling, Kansas Czechs, Inc. (Attachment 8); and Charles Porubsky, Jr., Porubsky Deli and Tavern (Attachment 9). Also provided to the members of the Committee was the History of the Czech Community in Shawnee County (Attachment 10) and a Kansas Memory relating to Governor Robinson's Polka (Attachment 11).
Chairperson Barker recognized Allen Hahn, Kansas Square Dance Callers Association, as an opponent to HB2385 (Attachment 12). He stated that they have no issue with the Polka being recognized as an important dance form in the state of Kansas; however, they believe it would be an oversight not to recognize the importance square dancing has played in the history of Kansas. His testimony contains a proposed amendment to HB2385 to designate the polka as the state ethnic dance and the square dance as the state folk dance.
Dana Schirmer testified as an opponent to HB2385 (Attachment 13) (Attachment 13A ). He has been square dancing for over 60 years, been a square dance caller for 42 years, and has served twelve terms as president of the Kansas Square Dance Callers Association. He stated square dancing is a non-alcoholic activity that the entire family can enjoy together. He supports the amendment presented by Mr. Hahn to make square dancing the Kansas folk dance.
Chairperson Barker recognized Laurel Erickson as an opponent to HB2385 (Attachment 14). She and her husband Larry are the president of the Kansas Square Dance Association. She stated that square dancing has a considerable impact in Kansas, that their events contribute to the Kansas economy, and square dancing provides many health benefits.
Chairperson Barker noted that there was written opponent testimony on HB2385 from George and Nancy Sloop (Attachment 15) and Irma Schutt (Attachment 16).
Chairperson Barker closed the hearing on HB2385.
Chairperson Barker asked if there were any requests for bill introductions. There were none.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:50 a.m.
