Dear Members of the Polish American Club of Columbus, 

[EN]

Please consider this important information about the formation of the Eastern European Commission. We apologize in advance for the considerable length of this announcement.

Ohio Senator Michael Rulli and Ohio Representative Terrell Upchurch are working on establishing a formal way to assist Americans of Eastern European origins with their lives in Ohio. They want for Ohio to become the first state to establish:

1. Eastern European Commission 
2. Office of Eastern European Affairs 

We were asked to provide testimony as to why such a Commission should exist. It is my understanding that Senator Rulli and Representative Upchurch are now in the process of gauging the needs of the largely understood “Eastern European” community - Poland is included in this definition.

[PL]

Senator Michael Rulli i Reprezentant Terrence Upchurch z  Sejmu i Senatu Stanu Ohio wystąpili z inicjatywą stworzenia komisji która stworzyłaby formalny urząd do spraw Amerykanów pochodzenia Wschodnioeuropejskiego. Chcą by Ohio było pierwszym Stanem który utworzy: 

1. Komisję do Spraw Wschodnioeuropejskich oraz 
2. Biuro do Spraw Wschodnioeuropejskich. 

Zostaliśmy poproszeni o danie świadectwa w sprawie stworzenia Komisji i Biura. Projekt jest w fazie zbierania opinii i informacji od Amerykanów Wschodnioeuropejskiego pochodzenia. Polska jest włączona w definicję Wschodniej Europy na potrzeby tego projektu. Zapraszamy do zapoznania się z tekstem projektu ustawy. 

[EN]

From the initial papers, it looks as if the Commission will be charged with the following:

Sec. 107.23. (A) The commission on eastern European affairs shall do all of the following:

      (1) Gather and disseminate information and conduct hearings, conferences, investigations, and special studies on issues and programs concerning eastern European people;

      (2) Secure appropriate recognition of accomplishments and contributions of eastern European people to the state;

      (3) Promote public awareness of the issues for eastern European people by conducting a program of public education;

      (4) Develop, coordinate, and assist other public and private organizations that serve eastern European people, including conducting training programs for community leadership and service project staff; 

      (5) Advise the governor, general assembly, and state departments and agencies regarding the nature, magnitude, and priorities of the issues of eastern European people;

      (6) Advise the governor, general assembly, and state departments and agencies on the special needs of eastern European people regarding education, employment, energy, health, housing, welfare, and recreation and develop and implement policies and programs to address those needs;

      (7) Propose new programs concerning eastern European people to public and private agencies and evaluate any existing programs within agencies;

      (8) Review and approve grants from federal, state, or private funds that are administered or subcontracted by the office of eastern European affairs under section 107.24 of the Revised Code;

      (9) Review and approve the annual report prepared by the office of eastern European affairs under section 107.24 of the Revised Code;

      (10) Coordinate and provide information regarding available state services to meet the needs of eastern European people;

      (11) Appoint a director to the office of eastern European affairs.

      (B) As used in this section and sections 107.22 and 107.24 of the Revised Code, "eastern European people" means persons who possess either of the following characteristics:

      (1) Use an eastern European language as the person's primary language;

      (2) Identify as or are regarded in the community as being of Albanian, Belarusian, Bosnian and Herzegovinian, Bulgarian, Carpatho-Rusyn, Croatian, Czech, east European Jewish, Estonian, Greek, Hungarian, Kashubian, Kosovar, Latvian, Lithuanian, Lusatian Sorbian, Macedonian, Moldovans, Montenegrins, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Transylvanian Saxon, Ukranian, or any other eastern European origin.

The Office of Eastern European Affairs is supposed to:

     (C) The office shall do all of the following:

     (1) Provide information and advise the commission of eastern European affairs on proposed solutions to problems of eastern European people;

      (2) Serve as a clearinghouse to review and comment on all proposals to meet the needs of eastern European people that are submitted to the office by public and private agencies;

      (3) Apply for and accept grants and gifts from government and private sources to be administered by the office or subcontracted to local agencies, as long as the local agencies

use the grants and gifts for the public purpose intended;

      (4) Monitor and evaluate all programs subcontracted to  local agencies by the commission on eastern European affairs and ensure that any grants and gifts from the government are being used for the public purpose intended;

      (5) Endeavor to ensure that eastern European people have access to decision-making bodies in all state and local government departments and agencies;

      (6) Submit a written annual report of the office's activities, accomplishments, and recommendations to the commission on eastern European affairs;

      (7) Establish an advisory committee for special subjects, as needed, to facilitate and maximize community participation in the operation of the commission on eastern European affairs. An advisory committee shall be made up of persons representing community organizations, charitable institutions, public officials, and other persons as determined by the office.

      (8) Establish relationships with local governments, state governments, and private businesses that promote and ensure equal opportunity for eastern European people in government, education, and employment.

[EN]

Sen. Rulli and Rep. Upchurch are asking us to help them gauge and give testimony as to the potential impact of such a Commission and Office. If you are interested in helping with this project, please answer as many questions as you find relevant. It is our chance to voice our concerns, suggestions, and comments. No answer is too short! All the answers will be sent to Helena Rempala, PAC's Vice-President, who will prepare the summary statement for the Chairperson of the Eastern European Congress of Ohio. Your responses will be incorporated, but only if you send your response by November 21^st. This is within ten days, so we are on a very tight schedule. 

[PL]

Bardzo prosimy osoby zainteresowane o wypełnienie ankiety którą dostaliśmy. Każda odwiedź jest ważna. Wszystkie odpowiedzi będą skierowane do Heleny Rempałowej, obecnego Vice-Prezydenta PAC’u. Helena przygotuje ostateczną wersje odpowiedzi. Niestety dostaliśmy bardzo mało czasu na tą skomplikowaną operację - prosimy o złożenie ankiety w ciągu następnych 10 dni - do 21 Listopada. 

Please take the survey titled: "Eastern European Commission"