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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 2024, 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; and 12
WHEREAS, it is only fitting to unite our oldest federal holiday with our newest and 13
designate it as "Civic Season" in the Commonwealth; 14
NOW, THEREFORE, 15
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 16
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 2 IS CREATED TO 17
READ AS FOLLOWS: 18
The nineteenth day of June (Juneteenth National Freedom Day) to the fourth day of 19
July (Independence Day), shall be designated as "Civic Season" throughout the 20
Commonwealth. 21
Section 2. KRS 2.110 is amended to read as follows: 22
(1) The first day of January (New Year's Day), the third Monday of January (Birthday 23
of Martin Luther King, Jr.), the nineteenth day of January (Robert E. Lee Day), the 24
thirtieth day of January (Franklin D. Roosevelt Day), the twelfth day of February 25
(Lincoln's Birthday), the third Monday in February (Washington's Birthday), the 26
last Monday in May (Memorial Day), the third day of June (Confederate Memorial 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 409
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Day, and Jefferson Davis Day), the nineteenth day of June (Juneteenth National 1
Freedom Day), the fourth day of July (Independence Day), the first Monday in 2
September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), the 3
eleventh day of November (Veterans Day), the twenty-fifth day of December 4
(Christmas Day) of each year, and all days appointed by the President of the United 5
States or by the Governor as days of thanksgiving, are holidays, on which all the 6
public offices of this Commonwealth may be closed. 7
(2) No person shall be compelled to labor on the first Monday in September (Labor 8
Day) by any person. 9
Section 3. Whereas in 2024, at least 28 states and the District of Columbia 10
legally recognized Juneteenth as a public holiday, and, the designation of Civic Season in 11
the Commonwealth seeks to unite our oldest federal holiday with our newest, an 12
emergency is declared to exist, and this Act takes effect upon its passage and approval by 13
the Governor or upon its otherwise becoming a law. 14