Bill Text: MS HB998 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Official statehood song; adopt "My Home Mississippi" as during 2017 to commemorate the state's Bicentennial.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2017-01-31 - Died In Committee [HB998 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2017-HB998-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2017 Regular Session

To: Tourism

By: Representative Paden

House Bill 998

AN ACT TO DESIGNATE THE SONG "MY HOME MISSISSIPPI" AS THE OFFICIAL STATEHOOD SONG OF MISSISSIPPI DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2017 TO COMMEMORATE AND CELEBRATE THE STATE'S BICENTENNIAL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     WHEREAS, on December 10, 1817, the Great State of Mississippi was admitted to the United States as the Twentieth state of the Union, and throughout the year of 2017, the State of Mississippi, her government officials, and all of her people will be celebrating her Bicentennial of statehood; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature desires that, during our state's Bicentennial year, all Mississippians will have as their official statehood song, a song that vividly describes Mississippi and her people; a song that will instill pride and joy in the hearts of every Mississippian; a song that expresses joy and love that Mississippians have for their state, for one another, and for everyone visiting Mississippi; a song that will draw all Mississippians together with love and respect for one another and for their state; and a special song that is easy to sing with lyrics and melody suitable for all occasions, public and private, formal and informal; and

     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that the song "My Home Mississippi" fully embodies those qualities, and therefore desires to designate the words and music of "My Home Mississippi" as the official statehood song of the State of Mississippi during the calendar year 2017 to commemorate and celebrate our state's Bicentennial; NOW, THEREFORE,

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  The following shall be codified as Section 3-3-61, Mississippi Code of 1972:

     3-3-61.  (1)  The lyrics and music in the song entitled "My Home Mississippi" by Delma Furniss, set to the modified music of a 19th Century American folk song, are designated as the official statehood song of the State of Mississippi during the calendar year 2017 to commemorate and celebrate the Bicentennial of the State of Mississippi.  The lyrics of "My Home Mississippi" consist of five (5) verses and chorus, as follows:

MY HOME MISSISSIPPI

VERSE 1:

O my heart is filled with joy ev-'ry morning as I rise,

Just to have another day beneath your warm and friendly skies,

And to share with friend and neighbor all your bountiful supplies;

You are so good to me!

VERSE 2:

From your northern hills a'rolling to your dazzling great gulf sand;

From your eastern pines so stately to your fertile Delta land;

With your fields and streams connecting - it is all so very grand!

O what a sight to see!

VERSE 3:

All your people, nice and pleasant, like a melody in tune,

With a charm and loving beauty, like a new-sprung rose in June,

And a welcome, big and glowing, like the golden harvest moon;

O hospitality!

VERSE 4:

Your mind - more fresh and ever clean than the driven winter snow;

Your heart - more pure and O more fine than the richest gold, I know;

Your soul - more filled with holiness than an angel's saintly glow;

O what a trinity!

VERSE 5:

When my final bell comes ringing - be it morning, noon or night;

When He raps upon my portal, and my spirit takes its flight;

As they lay me in your bosom, ev-'ry thing will be all right;

You've been so good to me!

CHORUS

Warm and friendly, Mississippi,

One and only, Mississippi,

I do love you, Mississippi,

My home you'll always be!

     (2)  The Division of Tourism of the Mississippi Development Authority and all other agencies of the state interested in promoting the welfare of the State of Mississippi are encouraged to make use of the statehood song "My Home Mississippi" during the calendar year 2017 in promoting and advancing the State of Mississippi and its citizens, and are granted copyright permission by its author to use this song in pursuing and accomplishing these endeavors.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.