House Bill 696

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DESIGNATE JUNE 12, WOMEN'S VETERANS' DAY, AS A LEGAL HOLIDAY IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

WHEREAS, women have honorably and courageously served in all of America's wars and conflicts since the American Revolution, but their service went unrecognized; and

WHEREAS, the first Women's Veterans' Day was held June 12, 2018, marking the 70th anniversary of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, which was signed into law by President Harry S. Truman on June 12, 1948, enabling women to serve as permanent, regular members of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and the recently formed Air Force; and

WHEREAS, during World War II, approximately 400,000 women served in support positions with the military, and nearly 500 were killed in enemy fire; and

WHEREAS, though women were officially recognized as military members or veterans in 1948, they had been serving in the American military since before the United States became a nation, often serving in the civilian fields in positions such as nursing and cooking; and

WHEREAS, women now make up about 20% of new recruits, 16% of personnel serving on active duty, and 19% of the National Guard and Reserve Forces; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Mississippi State Veterans Affairs Board remain committed to providing over 200,000 Mississippi women veterans with exceptional healthcare and services; and

WHEREAS, as members of the Legislature, we salute and remember the women who courageously served our state and nation, and we honor our female veterans and their families for their outstanding service, sacrifice and remarkable dedication to our nation; 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 * * *~~, viz~~: the first day of January (New Year's Day); the third Monday of January (Robert E. Lee's birthday and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday); the third Monday of February (Washington's birthday); the last Monday of April (Confederate Memorial Day); the last Monday of May (National Memorial Day and Jefferson Davis' birthday); the twelfth day of June (Women's Veterans' Day); the fourth day of July (Independence Day); the first Monday of September (Labor Day); the eleventh day of November (Armistice or Veterans' Day); 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 (Thanksgiving Day); and the twenty-fifth day of December (Christmas Day). In the event any holiday hereinbefore declared legal shall fall on 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 (Robert E. Lee's and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday) and the eleventh day of November (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 Day (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 (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 (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, 2024.