SENATE BILL 22-139
BY SENATOR(S) Buckner and Coleman, Bridges, Danielson, Donovan,
Fields, Ginal, Gonzales, Hansen, Hinrichsen, Jaquez Lewis, Kolker, Lee,
Moreno, Pettersen, Priola, Rodriguez, Story, Winter, Zenzinger, Fenberg;
also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Herod, Amabile, Bacon, Benavidez, Bernett,
Bird, Boesenecker, Caraveo, Carver, Cutter, Daugherty, Esgar, Exum,
Froelich, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Gray, Hooton, Jodeh, Kennedy, Kipp,
Lindsay, Lontine, McCluskie, McCormick, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica,
Ricks, Roberts, Sirota, Snyder, Soper, Sullivan, Titone, Valdez A.,
Weissman, Young.
C
ONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF JUNETEENTH AS A STATE HOLIDAY .
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly
hereby finds and declares that:
(a) Juneteenth National Independence Day, commonly known as
Juneteenth, officially became the 11th federal holiday on June 17, 2021, and
the first holiday to be added to the list of federal holidays since the
recognition of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday in 1983;
NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative
officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill
or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative
history, or the Session Laws.
________
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes
through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of
the act. (b) Juneteenth marks our country's second Independence day.
Although it has long been celebrated in the African American community,
this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans. For
decades, many southern Black communities were forced to celebrate
Juneteenth on the outskirts of town due to racism and Jim Crow laws. Early
Juneteenth celebrations included church services, public readings of the
Emancipation Proclamation, and social events like rodeos and dances.
(c) Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, and
Emancipation Day, commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers, led
by Major General Gordan Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas, and
announced the end of the Civil War and declared that more than two
hundred fifty thousand enslaved Black people were free. Many enslavers in
the state of Texas and other states had continued to hold enslaved people
captive despite the Emancipation Proclamation having been issued by
President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863.
(d) On "Freedom's Eve", or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first
Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African
Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country
awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the
stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in
Confederate states were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of
whom were Black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south
reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and spreading the
news of freedom in Confederate states.
(e) However, the news did not spread across many areas of the
nation, and slavery was not officially abolished nationally until the
ratification of the 13th Amendment to the constitution of the United States.
Juneteenth celebrations commemorate the liberation of men and women and
their descendants who were enslaved in areas that were not made aware of
the effect of the Emancipation Proclamation until almost two and a half
years later.
(f) Therefore, the general assembly declares the designation of
Juneteenth as a state legal holiday in remembrance of the rejoicement of the
day Black slaves in Texas and other states learned of their freedom. The
historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in
uncertain times.
PAGE 2-SENATE BILL 22-139 SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 5-1-301, amend (6) as
follows:
5-1-301. General definitions. In addition to definitions appearing
in subsequent articles, as used in this code, unless the context otherwise
requires:
(6) "Business day" means any calendar day except Sunday, New
Year's day, the third Monday in January observed as the birthday of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington-Lincoln day, Memorial day,
J
UNETEENTH, Independence day, Labor day, Frances Xavier Cabrini day,
Veterans' day, Thanksgiving day, and Christmas day.
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 6-1-102, amend (2.5)
as follows:
6-1-102. Definitions. As used in this article 1, unless the context
otherwise requires:
(2.5) "Business day" means any calendar day except Sunday, New
Year's day, the third Monday in January observed as the birthday of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington-Lincoln day, Memorial day,
J
UNETEENTH, Independence day, Labor day, Frances Xavier Cabrini day,
Veterans' day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-11-101, amend (1)
as follows:
24-11-101. Legal holidays - effect. (1) The following days, viz:
The first day of January, commonly called New Year's day; the third
Monday in January, which shall be observed as the birthday of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.; the third Monday in February, commonly called
Washington-Lincoln day; the last Monday in May, commonly called
Memorial day;
THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JUNE, COMMONLY CALLED
JUNETEENTH; the fourth day of July, commonly called Independence day;
the first Monday in September, commonly called Labor day; the first
Monday in October, commonly called Frances Xavier Cabrini day; the
eleventh day of November, commonly called Veterans' day; the fourth
Thursday in November, commonly called Thanksgiving day; the
twenty-fifth day of December, commonly called Christmas day; and any day
PAGE 3-SENATE BILL 22-139 appointed or recommended by the governor of this state or the president of
the United States as a day of fasting or prayer or thanksgiving, are hereby
declared to be legal holidays and shall, for all purposes whatsoever, as
regards the presenting for payment or acceptance and the protesting and
giving notice of the dishonor of bills of exchange, drafts, bank checks,
promissory notes, or other negotiable instruments and also for the holding
of courts, be treated and considered as is the first day of the week
commonly called Sunday.
SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
PAGE 4-SENATE BILL 22-139 determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.
____________________________ ____________________________
Steve Fenberg Alec Garnett
PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES
____________________________ ____________________________
Cindi L. Markwell Robin Jones
SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APPROVED________________________________________
(Date and Time)
_________________________________________
Jared S. Polis
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
PAGE 5-SENATE BILL 22-139