Texas lawmaker wants to make Selena’s birthday a statewide holiday
The Queen of Tejano’s birthday could be codified into law as a new holiday in Texas, if a bill introduced Tuesday in the state house is passed.
State Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos (D-Richardson) introduced House Bill 2492 Tuesday. The bill would designate April 16, as “Selena Quintanilla Pérez Day” in Texas.
It must be voted out of its house committee before it gets a full vote from the Texas House of Representatives. If passed, the law would take effect on Sept. 1, 2019, setting up the first statewide fiesta in April 2020.
“April 16 is Selena Quintanilla Perez Day in memory of the contributions to Tejano music of Selena Quintanilla Pérez, an award-winning singer and recording artist,” the bill text says. “Selena Quintanilla Perez Day may be regularly observed by appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
The singer whose credits include “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Como la Flor” has been honored before in Texas and in California. Then Governor George W. Bush declared April 16 “Selena Day” in 1995, just three weeks after her murder, according to an archived report from the San Antonio Express News. When she was posthumously given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017, Los Angeles officials declared Nov. 3 that year “Selena Day” in L.A., KTRK reported.
But Ramos’ bill would make an official yearly holiday in remembrance of Selena, who’s been very much alive in Texas pop culture recently.
Country star Kacey Musgraves broke out in Selena’s “Como la Flor” Monday at her performance at RodeoHouston, according to KHOU. That performance came nearly 24 years to the day after Selena’s last televised performance, which was also during RodeoHouston, the station reported.
In late 2018, a limited edition grocery shopping bag with Selena’s face on it caused an online stir and prompted a second run after selling out, according to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.
