20250ACR_003597CHP INTRODUCED 2025-02-18 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2025-03-24 PASSED_SENATE 2025-04-24 ENROLLED 2025-04-25 CHAPTERED 2025-05-05 FILED 2025-05-05 2025 ACR CHP CHR 0 Introduced by Assembly Member Papan (Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Essayli, Fong, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rivas, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wilson, and Zbur) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Papan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Addis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Aguiar-Curry COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ahrens COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alanis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alvarez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Arambula COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ávila Farías COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bains COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bauer-Kahan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bennett COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Berman COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Boerner COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bonta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bryan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Calderon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Caloza COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Carrillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Castillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Chen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Connolly COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Davies COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY DeMaio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Dixon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Essayli COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Fong COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gallagher COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Garcia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gipson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jeff Gonzalez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Mark González COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hadwick COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Haney COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Harabedian COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hart COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Irwin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jackson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Kalra COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Krell COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lackey COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lee COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lowenthal COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Macedo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY McKinnor COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Muratsuchi COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Nguyen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ortega COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pacheco COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patterson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pellerin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Petrie-Norris COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Quirk-Silva COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ramos COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rivas COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Celeste Rodriguez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Michelle Rodriguez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rogers COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Blanca Rubio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sanchez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schiavo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schultz COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sharp-Collins COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Solache COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Soria COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Stefani COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Tangipa COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Valencia COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wallis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ward COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wilson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Zbur Relative to Greek Independence Day.

Greek Independence Day Greek Independence Day. This measure would designate March 25, 2025, as Greek Independence Day. NO

WHEREAS, The ancient Greeks developed the concept of democracy, in which the supreme power to govern was vested in the people; and

WHEREAS, The Founding Fathers of the United States drew heavily on the political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our representative democracy; and

WHEREAS, After centuries of unsuccessful uprisings and failure of the Ottoman Empire to assimilate and convert the Greeks, the Greek War of Independence began in rising up against years of occupation and oppression by the Ottoman Turks. During the dark years of the Ottoman occupation, thousands were killed and tortured for attending church or teaching their children Greek culture, history, and language; and

WHEREAS, For eight years the fighting ensued, until 1829, when the Sultan Mahmud II, facing Russian troops at the gates of Constantinople, accepted Greek independence with the Treaty of Andrianople; and

WHEREAS, March 25, 2025, marks the 204th anniversary of the rebellion and the tenacity of the Greek people to stand strong against the Ottoman Empire; and

WHEREAS, Greece played a major role in the World War II struggle to protect freedom and democracy; and

WHEREAS, Sir Winston Churchill said of the Greeks after this fighting, “Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks”; and

WHEREAS, Greece and the United States of America are at the forefront of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and human rights; and

WHEREAS, Those and other ideals have forged a close bond between our two nations and their peoples; and

WHEREAS, Greek Independence Day reminds us of the strong principles and bonds that the United States of America and Greece share, including commitment to the democratic ideals of justice and freedom; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 3,000,000 Greek Americans have joined mainstream society and began to make significant contributions as Californians in the fields of finance, technology, law, medicine, education, sports, media, the arts, the military, and government, as well as in other areas; and

WHEREAS, Today, we take special note of those citizens and thank them for their innumerable contributions to our nation’s cultural, economic, and political heritage;

now, therefore,

be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates March 25, 2025, as “Greek Independence Day: A Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy”; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for distribution.