EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0667*
HOUSE BILL 667
P1 5lr2865
CF SB 139
By: Delegates Woods, Acevero, Addison, Alston, Bagnall , Boyce, Conaway,
Crutchfield, Holmes, Ivey, Kaiser, Kaufman, R. Lewis, J. Long, Martinez,
Pasteur, Phillips, Roberts, Ruff, Ruth, Simmons, Solomon, Taylor, Terrasa,
Valderrama, Wells, and Williams
Introduced and read first time: January 24, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
State Government – Legal and Employee Holiday – Maryland Emancipation Day 2
FOR the purpose of establishing Maryland Emancipation Day as a State legal holiday and 3
State employee holiday; repealing the requirement that the Governor declare a 4
certain day as Maryland Emancipation Day; and generally relating to Maryland 5
Emancipation Day. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – General Provisions 8
Section 1–111 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
BY repealing 12
Article – General Provisions 13
Section 7–420 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 18
Section 9–201 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 21
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
2 HOUSE BILL 667
Article – General Provisions 1
1–111. 2
(a) In this Code and any regulation or directive adopted under it, “legal holiday” 3
means: 4
(1) January 1, for New Year’s Day; 5
(2) (i) January 15, for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday; or 6
(ii) if the United States Congress designates another day for 7
observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, the day designated by the United 8
States Congress; 9
(3) February 12, for Lincoln’s birthday; 10
(4) the third Monday in February, for Washington’s birthday; 11
(5) March 25, for Maryland Day; 12
(6) Good Friday; 13
(7) (i) May 30, for Memorial Day; or 14
(ii) if the United States Congress designates another day for 15
observance of Memorial Day, the day designated by the United States Congress; 16
(8) June 19, for Juneteenth National Independence Day; 17
(9) July 4, for Independence Day; 18
(10) the first Monday in September, for Labor Day; 19
(11) September 12, for Defenders’ Day; 20
(12) (i) October 12, for Columbus Day; or 21
(ii) if the United States Congress designates another day for 22
observance of Columbus Day, the day designated by the United States Congress; 23
(13) NOVEMBER 1, FOR MARYLAND EMANCIPATION DAY; 24
[(13)] (14) November 11, for Veterans’ Day; 25
[(14)] (15) the fourth Thursday in November, for Thanksgiving Day; 26
HOUSE BILL 667 3
[(15)] (16) the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, for American Indian 1
Heritage Day; 2
[(16)] (17) December 25, for Christmas Day; 3
[(17)] (18) each statewide general election day in the State; and 4
[(18)] (19) each other day that the President of the United States or the 5
Governor designates for general cessation of business. 6
(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Code, a legal holiday shall be 7
observed on: 8
(1) the date specified in subsection (a) of this section; or 9
(2) if that date falls on a Sunday, on the next Monday after that date. 10
[7–420. 11
The Governor annually shall proclaim November 1 as Maryland Emancipation Day 12
in recognition of the emancipation of the slaves in the State.] 13
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 14
9–201. 15
In this title, “employee holiday” includes: 16
(1) January 1, for New Year’s Day; 17
(2) January 15, for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, unless the 18
United States Congress designates another day for observance of that legal holiday, in 19
which case, the day designated by the United States Congress; 20
(3) the third Monday in February, for Presidents’ Day; 21
(4) May 30, for Memorial Day, unless the United States Congress 22
designates another day for observance of that legal holiday, in which case, the day 23
designated by the United States Congress; 24
(5) June 19, for Juneteenth National Independence Day; 25
(6) July 4, for Independence Day; 26
(7) the first Monday in September, for Labor Day; 27
4 HOUSE BILL 667
(8) October 12, for Columbus Day, unless the United States Congress 1
designates another day for observance of that legal holiday, in which case, the day 2
designated by the United States Congress; 3
(9) NOVEMBER 1, FOR MARYLAND EMANCIPATION DAY; 4
[(9)] (10) November 11, for Veterans’ Day; 5
[(10)] (11) the fourth Thursday in November, for Thanksgiving Day; 6
[(11)] (12) the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, for American Indian 7
Heritage Day; 8
[(12)] (13) December 25, for Christmas Day; 9
[(13)] (14) each statewide general election day in this State; and 10
[(14)] (15) each other day that the President of the United States or the 11
Governor designates for general cessation of business. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 13
October 1, 2025. 14