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Committee approves bill designating June, July and August as months to celebrate life, liberty and pursuit of happiness
Summary
House Bill 327, presented by the committee chairman, would designate June for life, July for liberty and August for the pursuit of happiness; legislators debated the meaning and scope of the symbolic designation before advancing the measure to the Judiciary Committee with a positive recommendation.
The House Naming & Designating Committee approved House Bill 327 to designate June as the month to celebrate life, July to celebrate liberty and August to celebrate the pursuit of happiness.
Chairman (Representative) Bullsoe, sponsor of HB 327, said the designations mark the nation’s 250th anniversary and tie months to historical events and public observance. He said June is appropriate for “life” in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and said July aligns with the July 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Representative Jones pressed the sponsor on the definition and scope of “liberty” and how the term should be taught or observed in schools. Jones said the words raised broader policy questions, referencing long-standing debates about the founding fathers’ views and current political rhetoric. Chairman Bullsoe responded that different people will interpret the terms in different ways and that designating months could prompt ongoing public discussion.
The committee adopted the previous question without objection and moved HB 327 to the Judiciary Committee with a positive recommendation. A clerk entry recorded one member present not voting; the committee chair announced the ayes had it and the bill advanced.
