In perhaps the most important piece of legislation in the history of the state of North Carolina, on Tuesday, March 19, state Rep. Jon Hardister, along with other representatives, filed House Bill 394 – which calls for the naming of an official state cookie and ship.
OK, it probably will not actually go down as the most important bill ever filed – but it will be extremely big news in the world of Moravian cookie makers since the bill calls for the Moravian cookie to become the official cookie of the state of North Carolina.
Hardister’s bill is also great news for fans of the ship the USS North Carolina – which would become the official state battleship under the new bill.
The good news for supporters is that it has bipartisan support though it’s not clear if there will be any opposition to the new bill from the legislatures’ Fig Newton contingent.
The other primary sponsors of the bill are Reps. Ashton Clemmons (Guilford County), Holly Grange (New Hanover County) and Donny Lambeth (Forsyth County).
Unlike many bills, this bill wouldn’t cost much to implement – though, if successful, the state will no doubt have to shell out for several large bags of Moravian cookies to mark the occasion of the bill’s passage.
According to a statement released with the bill, the legislation “aims to honor the rich history of North Carolina and its early settlers, in this case the Moravians, who settled in North Carolina during colonial times. Their heritage is carried on today in the form of their world famous Moravian cookies, which continue to be one of the most popular cookies in North Carolina.”
The legislation is also, according to the sponsors, an attempt to honor the veterans of World War II through the recognition of the USS North Carolina as the state’s official battleship. That ship played a role in every naval offensive in the Pacific theatre in that war, and it earned 15 battle stars and became the most decorated American battleship of WWII.
According to the bill’s sponsors, the ship “symbolizes North Carolina’s rich history of military service and dedication to freedom.”
On Tuesday, Hardister said the legislation, “is a testament to our rich history of cultural diversity and our steadfast respect for military service.”
