With the elections completed and 2006 coming to an end, Kentucky lawmakers are getting ready for the new year. In a process called prefiling, lawmakers file bills early for the next year. One of the bills being prefiled would name "bluegrass" Kentucky's official music. This would be the most fitting for the bluegrass state and the home of the father of bluegrass, Bill Monroe.
While some bills may have a tough time in committees and such, prefiling insures that a bill will actually be assigned to a committee on the opening day of the next session of the state legislature.
Getting bluegrass music designated the official music for the bluegrass state would also give the music more recognition as an historic genre. Bill Monroe refined the style over 50 years ago and it is still very popular today. While still not mainstream American music, it retains a solid growth and popularity in the south as well as across the globe.
The bill, House Bill 71, was presented by Kentucky state Representative Ted Edmonds and reads:
AN ACT designating bluegrass music as the official state music of Kentucky.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 2 to designate bluegrass music as the official state music of Kentucky.
This would ammend the Kentucky Revised Statute to read, "Bluegrass music is named and designated the official state music of Kentucky.
Kentucky bluegrass fans are encouraged to let your representatives know about this and urge their support.
