Polish Times - Czas Polski - tygodnik polski w Detroit, USA

Prior to December 10 and 14, 2009 four statutory Polonia and Poland-related observances existed under Massachusetts General Laws: Anniversary of the Death of General Pułaski, Polish Constitution Day, Tadeusz Kościuszko Day and Polish American Heritage Month.

Each of the foregoing had been the work of the Polish American Congress of Massachusetts in concert with the Massachusetts legislature which enacted them, and the governors who approved them post-1945 and into the 1990s. On December 10, 2008, Dean Anthony J. Bajdek, President of the Polish American Congress of Eastern Massachusetts and National Vice President for American Affairs added yet another hallmark achievement under Massachusetts General Laws when the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives enacted bill H.3035, the idea of which he proposed, to create yet another Chapter 6 law, under Section 15 MMMMM - POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS DAY, the related text of which reads: “The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart October thirtieth as Polish American Congress Day, in recognition of the capacity of the Polish American Congress established in 1944 to represent the domestic and international concerns of Americans of Polish descent at both the state and federal levels of government in the United States, and recommending that said day be observed in an appropriate manner by the people”.

Subsequent to enactment by both branches of the legislature on December 10, Governor Deval Patrick affixed his signature of approval to the document on December 14.

In keeping with the theme that Bajdek had spoken about this past year from Boston to Chicago, and from Buffalo to Hartford, for example, that theme being “Ensuring National Political Leadership for Polish Americans in the 21st Century,” he has demonstrated yet another practical benefit of a planned strategy and objectives approach in keeping matters relating to the interests of Polish Americans and Poland at the forefront of state government in Massachusetts.

But this time, rather than working, for example for the successful passage of legislation commemorating such notables and events of Polish history as Kazimierz Pułaski, Tadeusz Kościuszko, and the Constitution of May 3, 1971 as had been done during earlier decades in Massachusetts, Bajdek chose to honor by enactment of a state legislature on a statutory basis the importance of the Polish American Congress itself, which is a totally unprecedented achievement in the history of Polish Americans in the United States.
Bajdek is quick to point out that Polish Americans in Massachusetts initiated and achieved successful passage of more Chapter 6 laws than any other ethnic group in the Commonwealth, with those having secured more than one Chapter 6 law being: 5 - Polish Americans, 3 - Franco Americans, 3 - Italian Americans, 2 - Armenian Americans, 2 - Irish Americans, 2 - Native Americans.  With all other ethnic groups (e.g, Finnish Americans, Greek Americans, Jamaican Americans, Lithuanian Americans, Scottish Americans, Slovakian Americans) who initiated the Chapter 6 laws above achieving only one such law apiece, Polish Americans in Massachusetts are unique when it comes to Chapter 6 laws.  Dean Bajdek acknowledges that POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS DAY would not have become a reality without the related legislative work on Beacon Hill of his friend, Representative John W. Scibak, whose legislative constituency is in the 2nd Hampshire District made up of the towns of Easthampton, Hadley and South Hadley.

It is the pleasant obligation and task for future generations of Polish American leaders in the Commonwealth to add to this unique distinction under Chapter 6 laws.

(“Polish American Congress Eastern Massachusetts
Newsbrief, January 2010”)