Second Regular Session
Seventy-third General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
ENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 22-0863.01 Jessica Herrera x4218
SENATE BILL 22-139
Senate Committees House Committees
State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF JUNETEENTH AS A STATE101
HOLIDAY.102
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov
.)
The bill establishes Juneteenth as a state legal holiday.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
SENATE
2nd Reading Unamended
March 18, 2022
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Buckner and Coleman,
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Herod,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing statute.
Dashes through the words indicate deletions from existing statute. hereby finds and declares that:1
(a) Juneteenth National Independence Day, commonly known as2
Juneteenth, officially became the 11th federal holiday on June 17, 2021,3
and the first holiday to be added to the list of federal holidays since the4
recognition of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday in 1983;5
(b) Juneteenth marks our country's second Independence day.6
Although it has long been celebrated in the African American community,7
this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans. For8
decades, many southern Black communities were forced to celebrate9
Juneteenth on the outskirts of town due to racism and Jim Crow laws.10
Early Juneteenth celebrations included church services, public readings11
of the Emancipation Proclamation, and social events like rodeos and12
dances.13
(c) Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, and14
Emancipation Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers,15
led by Major General Gordan Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas, and16
announced the end of the Civil War and declared that more than two17
hundred fifty thousand enslaved Black people were free. Many enslavers18
in the state of Texas and other states had continued to hold enslaved19
people captive despite the Emancipation Proclamation having been issued20
by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863.21
(d) On "Freedom's Eve", or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first22
Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African23
Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country24
awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At25
the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in26
Confederate states were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of27
139
-2- whom were Black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south1
reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and spreading the2
news of freedom in Confederate states.3
(e) However, the news did not spread across many areas of the4
nation, and slavery was not officially abolished nationally until the5
ratification of the 13th Amendment to the constitution of the United6
States. Juneteenth celebrations commemorate the liberation of men and7
women and their descendants who were enslaved in areas that were not8
made aware of the effect of the Emancipation Proclamation until almost9
two and a half years later.10
(f) Therefore, the general assembly declares the designation of11
Juneteenth as a state legal holiday in remembrance of the rejoicement of12
the day Black slaves in Texas and other states learned of their freedom.13
The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up14
hope in uncertain times.15
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 5-1-301, amend (6)16
as follows:17
5-1-301. General definitions. In addition to definitions appearing18
in subsequent articles, as used in this code, unless the context otherwise19
requires:20
(6) "Business day" means any calendar day except Sunday, New21
Year's day, the third Monday in January observed as the birthday of Dr.22
Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington-Lincoln day, Memorial day,23
J
UNETEENTH, Independence day, Labor day, Frances Xavier Cabrini day,24
Veterans' day, Thanksgiving day, and Christmas day.25
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 6-1-102, amend (2.5)26
as follows:27
139
-3- 6-1-102. Definitions. As used in this article 1, unless the context1
otherwise requires:2
(2.5) "Business day" means any calendar day except Sunday, New3
Year's day, the third Monday in January observed as the birthday of Dr.4
Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington-Lincoln day, Memorial day,5
J
UNETEENTH, Independence day, Labor day, Frances Xavier Cabrini day,6
Veterans' day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.7
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-11-101, amend8
(1) as follows:9
24-11-101. Legal holidays - effect. (1) The following days, viz:10
The first day of January, commonly called New Year's day; the third11
Monday in January, which shall be observed as the birthday of Dr. Martin12
Luther King, Jr.; the third Monday in February, commonly called13
Washington-Lincoln day; the last Monday in May, commonly called14
Memorial day;
THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JUNE, COMMONLY CALLED15
J
UNETEENTH; the fourth day of July, commonly called Independence day;16
the first Monday in September, commonly called Labor day; the first17
Monday in October, commonly called Frances Xavier Cabrini day; the18
eleventh day of November, commonly called Veterans' day; the fourth19
Thursday in November, commonly called Thanksgiving day; the20
twenty-fifth day of December, commonly called Christmas day; and any21
day appointed or recommended by the governor of this state or the22
president of the United States as a day of fasting or prayer or23
thanksgiving, are hereby declared to be legal holidays and shall, for all24
purposes whatsoever, as regards the presenting for payment or acceptance25
and the protesting and giving notice of the dishonor of bills of exchange,26
drafts, bank checks, promissory notes, or other negotiable instruments and27
139
-4- also for the holding of courts, be treated and considered as is the first day1
of the week commonly called Sunday.2
SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,3
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate4
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.5
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