PRINTER'S NO. 1810
No. 1493 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY STERN, GEIST, MUSTIO, CRAHALLA, HUTCHINSON,
ARMSTRONG, HERSHEY, CALTAGIRONE, PHILLIPS, E. Z. TAYLOR,
GOODMAN, SATHER, SHANER, ROBERTS, SCAVELLO, DENLINGER,
CREIGHTON, JAMES, S. MILLER, O'NEILL, GEORGE, HESS, PALLONE,
PICKETT, FABRIZIO AND DeWEESE, MAY 2, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 2, 2005
AN ACT
1 Selecting, designating and adopting the Slinky as the official
2 toy of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
3 The General Assembly finds and declares that:
4 (1) The Slinky has been used as a toy by millions of
5 adults and children around the world since it was invented by
6 Richard James in 1943.
7 (2) Richard James developed the Slinky for the Navy as
8 an antivibration device for ship instruments.
9 (3) Although the Navy did not use the device, Mr. James
10 made it into a toy and began to market it around the
11 Philadelphia area in 1945.
12 (4) Mr. James and his wife, Betty, founded James
13 Industries and operated the business from Hollidaysburg,
14 Blair County, where the Slinky has been manufactured ever
15 since.
16 (5) In the 1990s 89.9% of the United States population
1 recognized the Slinky.
2 (6) The Slinky has been featured on a United States
3 Postage Stamp, used in movies and the subject of numerous
4 reports in the national press countless times.
5 (7) The Slinky is an icon of American creativity and of
6 Pennsylvania manufacturing.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The Slinky is hereby selected, designated and
10 adopted as the official toy of the Commonwealth.
11 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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