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House Leader Might Block State Song Legislation

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By RUSSELL RAY

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 25, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Efforts to revise Florida's state song may be in jeopardy.

Authors of legislation that would remove offensive lyrics from the current state song, "Old Folks at Home," say the measure may not reach the House floor for a vote, even though it won unanimous approval from the Senate on Thursday.

The reason, they say, is that House Majority Leader Adam Hasner has told them he thinks the Legislature should be concentrating on more important issues and plans to block the bill.

"He thinks it's frivolous," said the bill's House sponsor, Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa.

In addition to revising the lyrics to the Stephen Foster song, both House and Senate bills would adopt "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" as the state anthem.

The legislation has been approved by committees in both chambers. The full Senate approved the bill in a 39-0 vote.

The song, also known as "Swanee River," was removed from Gov. Charlie Crist's inauguration ceremony because of its lyrics, which refers to "darkeys" and plantations. Both the House and Senate bills would remove those lyrics.

Hasner said he recognizes the importance of removing the offensive lyrics from "Swanee River." At the same time, he said he wants to keep the House focused on "issues important and relevant" to Floridians.

"We need to avoid letting this take us away from our primary focus: getting our economy going again and making Florida affordable again," Hasner said in a statement.

Sen. Tony Hill, sponsor of the Senate bill, said he plans to meet with House Speaker Marco Rubio in hopes of getting the full House to consider the legislation. Homan said he is sure the bill would pass the House.

Initially, the bills called for replacing "Swanee River" with "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky." The new song was selected after it won a statewide contest that included 240 entries. Some lawmakers objected, saying their constituents were fond of "Swanee River" and wanted to keep the song.

Lawmakers reached a compromise: Replace the offensive lyrics from the old song and make the new song the state's official anthem.

The compromise "gives us the opportunity to do either song," said Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville.

Said Homan: "We're not the first state to have more than one song."

King said the edited version of "Swanee River" has been approved by the Center for American Music at the University of Pittsburgh, which oversees a memorial for Stephen Foster.

"The tune stays the same," King said.

Crist said Thursday he may sign the bill out of respect for Hill, who led the effort to replace "Swanee River." Crist's support for the bill was reluctant because it essentially designates two state songs.

"It makes Florida look like we're confused about what we're doing," Crist said. "My preference would be just to replace the darn thing."

Reporter Russell Ray can be reached at (850) 222-8382 or rray@tampatrib.com.

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