MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2023 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Karriem, Taylor, Summers, Clark, Sanders
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXCLUSIVELY RECOGNIZE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.'S BIRTHDAY ON THE THIRD MONDAY OF JANUARY; TO REMOVE ROBERT E. LEE'S BIRTHDAY AS A LEGAL STATE HOLIDAY; TO REMOVE CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY AS A LEGAL STATE HOLIDAY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Legislature desires to reflect the transformative power of Mississippi from its past to its present by celebrating holidays that wholly reflect the remarkable strides made by all citizens; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 3-3-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
3-3-7. (1) Except as
otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, the following are
declared to be legal holidays * * *:
(a) The first day of January, designated as New Year's Day;
(b) The third
Monday of January * * *, designated as Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.'s birthday;
(c) The third Monday of February, designated as George Washington's birthday;
(d) * * * The last Monday of May, designated as both
National Memorial Day and Jefferson Davis' birthday;
(e) The fourth day of July, designated as Independence Day;
(f) The first Monday of September, designated as Labor Day;
(g) The eleventh day of November, designated as Armistice or Veterans' Day;
(h) The day fixed by proclamation by the Governor of Mississippi as a day of Thanksgiving, which shall be fixed to correspond to the date proclaimed by the President of the United States, designated as Thanksgiving Day; and
(i) The twenty-fifth day of December, designated as Christmas Day.
* * * If any legal holiday * * * falls
on a Sunday, then the next following day shall be a legal holiday.
(2) In lieu of any one (1)
legal holiday provided for in subsection (1) of this section, with the
exception of the third Monday in January * * *, designated as Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, and the eleventh day of November,
designated as Armistice or Veterans' Day, the governing authorities
of any municipality or county may declare, by order spread upon its minutes,
Mardi Gras Day or any one (1) other day during the year, to be a legal holiday.
(3) August 16 is declared to be Elvis Aaron Presley Day in recognition and appreciation of Elvis Aaron Presley's many contributions, international recognition and the rich legacy left to us by Elvis Aaron Presley. This day shall be a day of recognition and observation and shall not be recognized as a legal holiday.
(4) May 8 is declared to be Hernando de Soto Day in recognition, observation and commemoration of Hernando de Soto, who led the first and most imposing expedition ever made by Europeans into the wilds of North America and the State of Mississippi, and in further recognition of the Spanish explorer's 187-day journey from the Tombigbee River basin on our state's eastern boundary, westward to the place of discovery of the Mississippi River on May 8, 1541. This day shall be a day of commemoration, recognition and observation of Hernando de Soto and European exploration and shall not be recognized as a legal holiday.
(5) Armistice * * * or Veterans' Day shall be
observed by appropriate exercises in all the public schools in the State of
Mississippi. The superintendent of schools of each public school district is
authorized to provide for the appearance of uniformed military personnel,
uniformed veterans or the families of fallen military personnel/veterans at
such public school exercises in honor of Armistice * * * or Veterans' Day. The
superintendent of schools is also authorized to permit the school band and its
director(s) at any public school in the district to perform at Armistice * * * or Veterans' Day exercises in
the school district upon the request of public officials or veterans
associations without loss of any program credit by participating students and
without loss of leave by participating school personnel.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.