TX HR909

Officially recognizes May 2025 as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Texas by the 89th Texas Legislature

Notes May was selected due to two historical events: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad by a largely Chinese labor workforce on May 10, 1869

References that the observance was originally established by Congress as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week and expanded to a monthlong celebration in 1992

Cites 2022 U.S. Census data showing approximately 6.2% of Americans identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, with about 24 million claiming Asian ancestry and 1.6 million tracing origins to Pacific Islands

Adopted by the Texas House on May 12, 2025, by non-record vote