HB 1275 — An Act selecting, designating and adopting the Pennsylvania March as the official march of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   1428

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                      HOUSE BILL
                      No. 1275
                                             Session of
                                               2025

     INTRODUCED BY M. MACKENZIE, APRIL 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, APRIL 21, 2025


                                  AN ACT
 1   Selecting, designating and adopting the Pennsylvania March as
 2      the official march of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, The march style of music has had a long history in
 4   the United States; and
 5      WHEREAS, John Philip Sousa's "The Stars and Stripes Forever"
 6   is an early example of American march music that is now an
 7   iconic part of our collective history; and
 8      WHEREAS, Currently, marches are a fixture of high school,
 9   college and university marching bands and many states across
10   this nation have their own official march; and
11      WHEREAS, On September 16, 2018, composer Ron DeGrandis'
12   "Pennsylvania March" was premiered in Allentown by The Marine
13   Band of Allentown; and
14      WHEREAS, DeGrandis said he was inspired by this
15   Commonwealth's diverse cities and landscapes; and
16      WHEREAS, DeGrandis described the march as "...a tribute to
17   honor our glorious state. It features the rhythm of the word
18   Penn-syl-vania throughout the music to tie it together. This
 1   march is in the style of John Philip Sousa. It is played by a
 2   band and is an instrumental piece of music"; and
 3      WHEREAS, Prior to this composition, the Commonwealth has
 4   never had a tune in the traditional American march genre.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7   Section 1.   Short title.
 8      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Official
 9   Pennsylvania March Designation.
10   Section 2.   Designation of the official march of the
11                Commonwealth.
12      The Pennsylvania March is selected, designated and adopted as
13   the official march of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
14   Section 3.   Publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
15      The composition of the Pennsylvania March shall be published
16   by the Legislative Reference Bureau in the next available issue
17   of the Pennsylvania Bulletin within 30 days of the effective
18   date of this section.
19   Section 4.   Effective date.
20      This act shall take effect immediately.




20250HB1275PN1428                   - 2 -