Connecticut State Polka

"The Ballroom Polka "

Composed by Ray Henry Mocarski

Adopted on June 25, 2013.

"Beautiful Connecticut Waltz"  became Connecticut's second official song and "The Ballroom Polka" became Connecticut's official state polka when Governor Dannel Patrick "Dan" Malloy signed Substitute House Bill No. 6671, a catch-all government administration bill, on June 25, 2013.

Connecticut State Polka: "The Ballroom Polka "

"The Ballroom Polka "

Origin of Song: "The Ballroom Polka "

International Polka Music Hall of Fame? Ray Henry Mocarski has composed many original songs.

While still in his early teens, Henry Mocarski, of Windsor, Connecticut started a polka band with Emil Juda on drums, Ray Zak on sax, and Henry Mocarski on accordion. Using the first names of Ray Zak and Henry Mocarski, the Ray Henry Orchestra was born. This group played in a local restaurant for approximately 2 ? years with much of their earnings used to build up their polka library. Then they made plans to have a 10-piece orchestra. Running ads in local newspapers, all positions were soon filled and rehearsals began. Hired to play a wedding, the exposure brought immediate response. They soon found themselves performing in many polka dancing spots in the Connecticut area.

In 1947, while rehearsing in Hartford, Frank Wojnarowski happened to visit the rehearsal hall. Already a popular recording artist, Frank suggested that Ray contact Walter Dana with respect to making records. Following his advice, "Don't Get Married, Son"was recorded on a 78 rpm single. The name of Ray Henry reached national prominence. Bookings followed in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Ohio, and Detroit. The orchestra recorded some 84-78 rpm records for Dana. "Blonde Bombshell Polka"became a hit in 1952. "Ballroom Polka"became a hit in the mid-60's and is standard in the polka music field today.

Connecticut Public Act No. 13-210, representing Substitute House Bill No. 6671

Substitute House Bill No. 6671

Public Act No. 13-210

AN ACT CONCERNING GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The ballroom polka shall be the state polka.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The song entitled "Beautiful Connecticut Waltz", composed by Joseph Leggo of Newington, shall be the second state song.

Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 10-29a of the general statutes is amended by adding subdivisions (62) to (65), inclusive, as follows (Effective from passage):

(NEW) (62) The Governor shall proclaim the month of March of each year to be Irish-American Month to honor Americans of Irish ancestry, their culture and the great contribution they have made to this country. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the month.

(NEW) (63) The Governor shall proclaim the month of October of each year to be Italian-American Month to honor Americans of Italian ancestry, their culture and the great contribution they have made to this country. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the month.

(NEW) (64) The Governor shall proclaim the month of November of each year to be Native American Month to honor Americans of Native American ancestry, their culture and the great contribution they have made to this country. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the month.

(NEW) (65) The Governor shall proclaim June twenty-fourth of each year to be French Canadian-American Day to honor Americans of French Canadian ancestry, their culture and the great contribution they have made to this country. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor designates for the observance of the day.

Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development may, in his or her discretion, designate a day, week or month for the celebration of any ethnic, cultural or heritage group upon the application of such ethnic, cultural or heritage group for such designation.

Sec. 5. Section 5-228 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) When a vacancy in any permanent position in the classified service is to be filled, the appointing authority shall notify the Commissioner of Administrative Services of such fact, stating the title of the position to be filled. Vacancies in such positions shall be filled, so far as [practicable] possible and for the best interest of the state, by reemployment, as provided in subsection (b) of section 5-241, promotional appointments from within the agency and service-wide promotional appointments or transfers in accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner. The appointing authority, with the approval of the commissioner, shall decide whether a vacancy shall be filled by promotion from within the agency, from a state-wide employment list, transfer or, if such is not [practicable] possible, by original appointment.

(b) If a vacancy is to be filled by a promotional appointment from within the agency, the commissioner shall certify to the appointing authority the names of all candidates from the agency in accordance with the provisions of section 5-215a.

(c) If a vacancy is to be filled by promotion from a service-wide candidate list, the commissioner shall certify to the appointing authority the names of all candidates on that candidate list in accordance with the provisions of section 5-215a.

(d) If a vacancy is to be filled by an original appointment, the commissioner shall certify to the appointing authority the names of all candidates on that candidate list in accordance with the provisions of section 5-215a.

(e) Appointees to any position in the classified service shall be required to serve the working test period provided for in this chapter. Any promotional appointee from within the agency who is dismissed from the position to which [he] such appointee was promoted during such working test period, or at the conclusion thereof, shall be restored to a position in the same class in which [he] the appointee had been employed prior to his or her promotion. Any other appointee who was employed in the classified service prior to his or her appointment and who is dismissed from the position to which he or she was appointed during such working test period or at the conclusion thereof, shall be restored to a vacancy in the same class, or a vacancy in a comparable class or a vacancy in any other position the employee is qualified to fill, in the agency in which he or she had been employed prior to his or her appointment, or shall have his or her name placed on a reemployment list. No appointing authority who has removed such an employee as provided in this section may exercise such right of removal again with respect to any other employee in the same position within three calendar months after such original removal, except with the consent of the commissioner. No provision of this section shall be construed to prevent any employee in the unclassified service from competing for positions in the classified service if [he] such employee possesses the minimum qualifications established by the commissioner. [, except that no such employee shall be eligible to compete in a promotional examination unless he has previous permanent status in classified service.] In the certification of names of persons eligible for appointment, sex shall be disregarded except when otherwise provided by statute or upon request of the appointing authority subject to the approval of the commissioner.

Sec. 6. (Effective from passage) The General Assembly shall commemorate the fourteenth anniversary of the Connecticut-Taiwan sister state relationship. Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the General Assembly designates for such commemoration.

Sec. 7. Subdivision (19) of subsection (a) of section 10-29a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(19) The Governor shall proclaim a date certain in each year as Powered Flight Day to honor the first powered flight by [the Wright brothers] Gustave Whitehead and to commemorate the Connecticut aviation and aerospace industry.

Approved June 25, 2013

Connecticut Law

Connecticut General Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 33, Section 3-110o.

Title 3 - State Elective Officers
Chapter 33 - Secretary
Section 3-110o - State polka.

Universal Citation: CT Gen Stat § 3-110o (2013)

The ballroom polka shall be the state polka.

(P.A. 13-210, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 13-210 effective June 25, 2013.