Lunar New Year Day

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 26-010

BY SENATOR(S) Gonzales J., Amabile, Baisley, Ball, Bridges, Bright, Carson, Catlin, Danielson, Exum, Frizell, Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kolker, Lindstedt, Liston, Marchman, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Pelton B., Pelton R., Rich, Roberts, Rodriguez, Simpson, Snyder, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Zamora Wilson, Coleman; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Nguyen and Soper, Camacho, Espenoza, Bacon, Barron, Boesenecker, Bradfield, Brooks, Caldwell, Carter, Clifford, Duran, English, Flanell, Froelich, Garcia, Garcia Sander, Gilchrist, Goldstein, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Hartsook, Jackson, Johnson, Joseph, Keltie, Lieder, Lindsay, Lukens, Mabrey, Martinez, Mauro, McCormick, Paschal, Phillips, Richardson, Ricks, Rutinel, Rydin, Slaugh, Smith, Stewart K., Story, Suckla, Taggart, Titone, Velasco, Weinberg, Willford, Winter T., Woodrow, Woog.

CONCERNING THE CELEBRATION OF LUNAR NEW YEAR 2026.

WHEREAS, Colorado became the second U.S. state to recognize Lunar New Year Day, which became an observed state holiday in 2024 after the passage of House Bill 23-1271, which designated the first Friday of every February as an observed state holiday; and WHEREAS, The official observation of Lunar New Year Day in Colorado was made possible by the work of Vietnamese refugee and founder and chair of the Lunar New Year Allies Advisory Group, Nga Vuong-Sandoval, who spearheaded the efforts to establish the state holiday; and WHEREAS, Lunar New Year allows Coloradans the opportunity to celebrate Asian American culture and recognize an important part of the fabric of United States diversity; and WHEREAS, Lunar New Year can be traced back to the fourteenth

century B. C. in China and is based on the lunar calendar; and WHEREAS, The beginning of the Lunar New Year usually commences between late January and mid-February and is one of the most important holidays for many Asian American communities; and WHEREAS, Lunar New Year 2026, the Year of the Horse, will be celebrated on February 17; and WHEREAS, Asians and the Asian diaspora have expanded the Lunar New Year celebration into an annual, week-long, worldwide event that is celebrated by about two-thirds of Asian Americans and many Asians and non-Asians from China, Vietnam, Taiwan,· South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and many other places; and WHEREAS, Over two billion people celebrate Lunar New Year worldwide, with many returning home to spend time with family and share blessings of being together with loved ones; and WHEREAS, During Lunar New Year, it is customary to wish good fortune, health, prosperity, and happiness on those around you; the holiday is celebrated in the United States and across the globe; and WHEREAS, Asian Americans have served in the Colorado General Assembly in the state's 150 years, including Filipino American Rep. Dennis Apuan (2009-2011) and currently serving Vietnamese American Rep. Kenny Van Nguyen, and Asian Americans currently serve throughout state government, including Japanese American Acting Agriculture Commissioner Robert Sakata and Office of New Americans Director Dee Daniels Scriven; and WHEREAS, The Asian American community is the fastest growing population in the United States, and the popularity of the holiday continues to grow; and WHEREAS, The Colorado General Assembly's exemplary enactment of an observed Lunar New Year holiday and continual recognition of Asian culture, holiday, cuisine, and traditions, as well as working across party lines, has had a very real and positive impact on Asian American Coloradans and brought peace, prosperity, and goodwill throughout the

state; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate ofthe Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House ofRepresentatives concurring herein:

(1) That we, the members of the Colorado GeneralAssembly,join our Asian communities in celebrating Lunar New Year; (2) That we invite Coloradans to attend events that celebrate Lunar New Year and promote local Asian American communities; (3) That we honor and respect our Asian American community members, particularly for their entrepreneurialism, commitment to innovating and advancing new technologies, strong family values, and culture; (4) That increasing the visibility of cultural traditions that are widely celebrated among the Asian diaspora would serve as a counterbalance to the marginalization that many in the Asian American community have encountered over the past several years; and (5) That it is appropriate to recognize the cultural and historical significance of Lunar New Year and acknowledge all individuals who celebrate this significant occasion by reaffirming Colorado's commitment to recognizing and celebrating Asian Americans and their contributions to our great state. Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to

Governor of Colorado Jared Polis; the members of Colorado's Congressional Delegation; and Nga Vuong-Sandoval, founder and chair of the Lunar New Year Allies Advisory Group.

James Rashad Coleman Sr. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Esther van Mourik SECRETARY OF THE SENATE

Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES