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AN ACT relating to state holidays and declaring an emergency. 1
WHEREAS, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and in 2023, more than 2
half of the states recognized Juneteenth as an official public holiday; and 3
WHEREAS, every state has at some point passed a resolution recognizing 4
Juneteenth at least as a day of observance, including those that do not count Juneteenth 5
among their official public holidays; and 6
WHEREAS, for more than one hundred fifty years, "Juneteenth National Freedom 7
Day" continues to be the most recognized African-American holiday observance and has 8
also been called "Emancipation Day," "Emancipation Celebration," "Freedom Day," 9
"Juneteenth Independence Day," and "Juneteenth"; and 10
WHEREAS, the nineteenth of June, along with the fourth of July, completes the 11
cycle of freedom for Americans' Independence Day observance; 12
NOW, THEREFORE, 13
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 14
Section 1. KRS 2.110 is amended to read as follows: 15
(1) The first day of January (New Year's Day), the third Monday of January (Birthday 16
of Martin Luther King, Jr.), the nineteenth day of January (Robert E. Lee Day), the 17
thirtieth day of January (Franklin D. Roosevelt Day), the twelfth day of February 18
(Lincoln's Birthday), the third Monday in February (Washington's Birthday), the 19
last Monday in May (Memorial Day), the third day of June (Confederate Memorial 20
Day, and Jefferson Davis Day), the nineteenth day of June (Juneteenth National 21
Freedom Day), the fourth day of July (Independence Day), the first Monday in 22
September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), the 23
eleventh day of November (Veterans Day), the twenty-fifth day of December 24
(Christmas Day) of each year, and all days appointed by the President of the United 25
States or by the Governor as days of thanksgiving, are holidays, on which all the 26
public offices of this Commonwealth may be closed. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 130
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(2) No person shall be compelled to labor on the first Monday in September (Labor 1
Day) by any person. 2
Section 2. Whereas Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and in 2023, 3
at least 28 states and the District of Columbia legally recognized Juneteenth as a public 4
holiday, an emergency is declared to exist, and this Act takes effect upon its passage and 5
approval by the Governor or upon its otherwise becoming a law. 6