Delegate Mangione advocates for House Bill 117 to honor Italian American contributions in Maryland

The Health and Government Operations Committee of the Maryland General Assembly convened on March 13, 2025, to discuss several legislative matters, including House Bill 117, which seeks to recognize Italian American contributions to the state.

The session began with Delegate Mangione advocating for House Bill 117, emphasizing the importance of honoring the Italian American community in Maryland. He highlighted the cultural significance of Italian cuisine, mentioning popular dishes such as lasagna and veal parmesan, and expressed his belief that Italian Americans deserve recognition similar to that afforded to other cultural groups in the state. Delegate Mangione requested the committee's support for the bill, which aims to designate a month in honor of Italian Americans.

Following Delegate Mangione's remarks, the committee engaged in light-hearted discussions about Italian food, with members sharing their favorites and joking about the absence of food samples at the meeting. Delegate Woods humorously inquired about the best fish, to which Delegate Mangione responded affirmatively, reinforcing the camaraderie among the committee members.

After concluding the discussion on House Bill 117, the committee took a brief recess before moving on to House Bill 802, which designates the purple pitcher plant as the state carnivorous plant. Delegate Robin Lewis was invited to present her testimony on this bill, indicating the committee's intent to continue addressing legislative matters despite the time constraints of crossover week.

The meeting underscored the committee's commitment to recognizing diverse cultural contributions while navigating a busy legislative schedule. The session concluded with plans to reconvene after a brief break to continue discussions on pending bills.