Connecticut State Polka

The Ballroom Polka Adopted: June 25, 2013

The Ballroom Polka

composed by Ray Henry Mocarski

Adoption of second state song

We can all thank Peter Danielczuk, an Ansonia native known as "Connecticut's Prince of Polka Music." A polka show radio host, he was the driving force behind the designation of the "Ballroom Polka" as Connecticut's official state polka.

A bill proposing the official state polka first appeared in 2006, as House Bill No. 5201, originating in the Government Administration and Elections Committee. It went nowhere.

The "Ballroom Polka" didn't get anywhere in 2006. But in 2007, members of the General Assembly put together two bills promoting the "Ballroom Polka." With 2007's Senate Bill No. 228, introduced by State Senator Joseph J. Crisco (17th District) AND House Bill No. 5328, sponsored by State Representatives Linda Gentile (104th District) and Sandy Nafis (27th District), well... it didn't get anywhere this time either. It simply disappeared in the Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections.

Peter Danielczuk did not give up. "One day we’ll have our official state polka song," Danielczuk said. ^{[ 1 ]}

In 2009, House Bill No. 5385, again promoted by Representative Linda M. Gentile and Senator Joseph J. Crisco, was introduced. This time things began to look up. The bill was drafted by the Government Administration and Elections Committee and scheduled for a hearing in March. But, again.... An attempt was made to attach it to a Senate bill but, again... The Southern Connecticut Renaissance Festival, proposed as an official state faire or festival did not get any attention either.

2011? House Bill No. 6291, sponsored again by Linda Gentile, went nowhere.

The "Ballroom Polka" had experienced a rough ride over the years. Perhaps this is what favored it in 2013 even as the Connecticut General Assembly dropped its support for declaring the polka the state's official dance.

Initially introduced with House Bill No. 5050 by a persistent Linda Gentile and co-sponsored by Representatives Patricia Billie Miller (145th District) and Theresa W. Conroy (105th District), the proposal seemed to languish again in the Joint Government Administration and Elections Committee after a March public hearing.

Then, on April 4, 2013, the Committee approved Substitute House Bill No. 6671 in part naming the "Ballroom Polka" the official state polka of Connecticut. Among other things, Substitute House Bill No. 6671 also proposed that the polka be named the official state dance and "Beautiful Connecticut Waltz" be named the state's second official state song.

On April 24, a House amendment removed the text designating the polka as the official state dance. The amended version of Substitute House Bill No. 6671, still including designation of a second state song and a state polka, was passed by the House on May 30, 2013.

The Connecticut Senate approved House amended Substitute House Bill No. 6671 on June 4, 2013.

The "Ballroom Polka" became Connecticut's official state polka and "Beautiful Connecticut Waltz" became Connecticut's second official song when Governor Dannel Patrick "Dan" Malloy signed Substitute House Bill No. 6671, a catch-all government administration bill, on June 25, 2013.

"I've been working on it so long because I have a large polish constituency in our district about their ethnicity, and rightly so, so I just felt committed to them to be able to do something for them," said Linda Gentile, State Representative 104 District.^{[ 2 ]}

Peter Danielczuk was a happy man! "You don't have to be Polish to enjoy a[sic] polka music. The Italians, the Irish, the friends. Everyone enjoys a good period once you hear that to your toes and feet ,she's stomping and rocking. It's great music," said Danielczuck. ^{[ 2 ]}

Public Act No. 13-210, representing Substitute House Bill No. 6671, is transcribed below.

Substitute House Bill No. 6671

Public Act No. 13-210

AN ACT CONCERNING GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The ballroom polka shall be the state polka.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The song entitled "Beautiful Connecticut Waltz", composed by Joseph Leggo of Newington, shall be the second state song.

Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 10-29a of the general statutes is amended by adding subdivisions (62) to (65), inclusive, as follows (Effective from passage):

(NEW) (62) The Governor shall proclaim the month of March of each year to be Irish-American Month to honor Americans of Irish ancestry, their culture and the great contribution they have made to this country. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the month.

(NEW) (63) The Governor shall proclaim the month of October of each year to be Italian-American Month to honor Americans of Italian ancestry, their culture and the great contribution they have made to this country. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the month.

(NEW) (64) The Governor shall proclaim the month of November of each year to be Native American Month to honor Americans of Native American ancestry, their culture and the great contribution they have made to this country. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the month.

(NEW) (65) The Governor shall proclaim June twenty-fourth of each year to be French Canadian-American Day to honor Americans of French Canadian ancestry, their culture and the great contribution they have made to this country. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the day.

Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development may, in his or her discretion, designate a day, week or month for the celebration of any ethnic, cultural or heritage group upon the application of such ethnic, cultural or heritage group for such designation.

Sec. 5. Section 5-228 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) When a vacancy in any permanent position in the classified service is to be filled, the appointing authority shall notify the Commissioner of Administrative Services of such fact, stating the title of the position to be filled. Vacancies in such positions shall be filled, so far as [practicable] possible and for the best interest of the state, by reemployment, as provided in subsection (b) of section 5-241, promotional appointments from within the agency and service-wide promotional appointments or transfers in accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner. The appointing authority, with the approval of the commissioner, shall decide whether a vacancy shall be filled by promotion from within the agency, from a state-wide employment list, transfer or, if such is not [practicable] possible, by original appointment.

(b) If a vacancy is to be filled by a promotional appointment from within the agency, the commissioner shall certify to the appointing authority the names of all candidates from the agency in accordance with the provisions of section 5-215a.

(c) If a vacancy is to be filled by promotion from a service-wide candidate list, the commissioner shall certify to the appointing authority the names of all candidates on that candidate list in accordance with the provisions of section 5-215a.

(d) If a vacancy is to be filled by an original appointment, the commissioner shall certify to the appointing authority the names of all candidates on that candidate list in accordance with the provisions of section 5-215a.

(e) Appointees to any position in the classified service shall be required to serve the working test period provided for in this chapter. Any promotional appointee from within the agency who is dismissed from the position to which [he] such appointee was promoted during such working test period, or at the conclusion thereof, shall be restored to a position in the same class in which [he] the appointee had been employed prior to his or her promotion. Any other appointee who was employed in the classified service prior to his or her appointment and who is dismissed from the position to which he or she was appointed during such working test period or at the conclusion thereof, shall be restored to a vacancy in the same class, or a vacancy in a comparable class or a vacancy in any other position the employee is qualified to fill, in the agency in which he or she had been employed prior to his or her appointment, or shall have his or her name placed on a reemployment list. No appointing authority who has removed such an employee as provided in this section may exercise such right of removal again with respect to any other employee in the same position within three calendar months after such original removal, except with the consent of the commissioner. No provision of this section shall be construed to prevent any employee in the unclassified service from competing for positions in the classified service if [he] such employee possesses the minimum qualifications established by the commissioner. [, except that no such employee shall be eligible to compete in a promotional examination unless he has previous permanent status in classified service.] In the certification of names of persons eligible for appointment, sex shall be disregarded except when otherwise provided by statute or upon request of the appointing authority subject to the approval of the commissioner.

Sec. 6. (Effective from passage) The General Assembly shall commemorate the fourteenth anniversary of the Connecticut-Taiwan sister state relationship. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the General Assembly designates for such commemoration.

Sec. 7. Subdivision (19) of subsection (a) of section 10-29a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(19) The Governor shall proclaim a date certain in each year as Powered Flight Day to honor the first powered flight by [the Wright brothers] Gustave Whitehead and to commemorate the Connecticut aviation and aerospace industry.

Approved June 25, 2013

Sources...

"Proposed H.B. No. 5880 Session Year 2011." Connecticut General Assembly. The State of Connecticut, 24 Jan 2011. Web. 13 Aug 2013.

"Proposed H.B. No. 5290 Session Year 2013." Connecticut General Assembly. The State of Connecticut, 13 Feb 2013. Web. 13 Aug 2013.

"Substitute for Raised H.B. No. 6671 Session Year 2013." Connecticut General Assembly. The State of Connecticut, 25 Jun 2013. Web. 13 Aug 2013.

^{[ 1 ]} Somma, Ann Marie. "Foiled Again! Polka Bill Dies in State Legislature." Valley Independent Sentinel. Valley Independent Sentinel, 29 Jun 2009. Web. 14 Aug 2013.

^{[ 2 ]} Gardner, Noelle . "Connecticut gets official polka song." WTNH News 8. LIN Television Corporation, 05 Jun 2013. Web. 14 Aug 2013.

Additional Information

Ray Henry: International Polka Association.

State songs: Complete list of official state songs from NETSTATE.COM.

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Connecticut state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

Great Polkas
Ray Henry &
His Orchestra

Great Polkas: Polka Hall of Fame Series, Ray Henry & His Orchestra. Audio CD (November 23, 2011) Number of Discs: 1. Label: Kielbasa. Running time: 39:33.

International Polka Music Hall of Fame® Ray Henry was one of the most popular Eastern Style big band polka leaders. Ray Henry composed many songs through the years. One of his most popular songs was the Ballroom Polka. Fourteen Polka selections of great Polkas by Ray Henry and his orchestra. Song title information:1. Hi, Low, Jack Polka, 2. In My Cradle Polka, 3. Polka Jack Polka, 4. Whistler's Polka, 5. Polish - Love, 6. At The Club Oberek, 7. Domino Polka, 8. Golden Gate Polka, 9. Diamond Ring Polka, 10. Moonshot Polka, 11. Politics Polka, 12. Silk Handkerchief Polka, 13. Roadrunner Polka, 14. Ballroom Polka.

Terrific Polkas
Ray Henry &
His Orchestra

Terrific Polkas, Ray Henry & His Orchestra. Audio CD (January 1, 2008) Number of Discs: 1. Label: Kielbasa.

Twelve Polka selections of terrific Polkas by Ray Henry and his orchestra. Song title information: 1. Carrot Polka, 2. Silk Hankerchief Polka, 3. Dixieland Polka, 4. Slam Bang Polka, 5. Five & Ten Polka, 6. Roadrunner Polka, 7. Fireplace Obere, 8. Burfest Polka, 9. Genereal Pulaski Polka, 10. Ask The Lady Waltz, 11. Domino Polka, 12. Ding Dong Polka.

State Songs
of America
Michael J. Bristow

State Songs of America, by Michael J. Bristow. 185 pages. Publisher: Greenwood (February 28, 2000)

State Songs of America provides the music and lyrics for the official songs adopted by the state governments. Arranged alphabetically by state, each song has a single vocal line over a piano accompaniment, with one verse only under the vocal line and remaining verses appearing separately. Each entry includes the date the song was adopted, the name of the composer, and in some instances, a brief history of the song. The book will be a useful reference for those wanting to perform a state song or to find the official songs of other states. Keep in mind that this book was published in 2000 and does not contain later adoptions.

State Songs:
Anthems and Their Origins
John Hladczuk
Sharon Schneider Hladczuk

State Songs: Anthems and Their Origins, by John Hladczuk, Sharon Schneider Hladczuk. 240 pages. Publisher: Scarecrow Press (September 26, 2000)

State Songs: Anthems and Their Origins is a tremendous resource, from which readers will gain insight into the heritage of American statehood. Histories of these songs, biographical information about the composers and lyricists, and background on each song's entrance into status as "official" make this source the most comprehensive in existence. The entries include sheet music, allowing readers to reproduce for themselves the tunes that have proved so important in the history of the Union. Music teachers, history teachers, librarians, and anyone else interested in learning more about the United States will not want to be without State Songs. Organized alphabetically by state. Keep in mind that this book was published in 2000 and does not contain later adoptions.

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