MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2022 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Criswell, Sanders, Anthony
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DECLARE THE MONTH OF APRIL AS "GARY HEMPHILL COMMERCIAL AVIATION MONTH"; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, as a great advocate for the aviation profession and industry, Mr. Gary Hemphill was responsible for the State of Mississippi becoming a leader in commercial aviation, and because of this, it is important for the State of Mississippi to recognize him by designating April as "Gary Hemphill Commercial Aviation Month"; and
WHEREAS, in 1970, Mr. Hemphill served with the United States Air Force's 388th Combat Support Group at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, as an aircraft electrical repair technician; and following service in Southeast Asia, he was assigned to the Air Force Systems Command's Weapons Development Center at Kirkland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Hemphill's duty with the Weapons Development Center allowed him to work with various aircraft,
including: F-100, F-4E, B-52, KC-135, C-130, T-29, F-104, T-38, WB-56, RB-66, C-121, F-105, A-4, and T-39; and
WHEREAS, after serving with the United States Air Force, Mr. Hemphill attended Northeast Louisiana University (NLU), where he received a bachelor of business administration in management in 1976, a bachelor of science in aviation in 1979, and a master's degree in education; and
WHEREAS, during his time in graduate school, Mr. Hemphill was a graduate assistant in the Aviation Department at NLU teaching classes and coaching the NLU flight team; and after receiving his master of education degree, he was hired by Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, where he was an instructor, teaching primary ground instruction, passenger transportation, aviation weather, and aviation law among other subjects; and he was, until his appointment as Executive Director, the advisor to the Delta State University Flight Team and advisor to the Delta Psi Chapter of Alpha Eta Rho; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Hemphill's career at Delta State saw him rise to chairman of the Department of Commercial Aviation, and while serving as chairman, he spent countless hours working to advance commercial aviation in the State of Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, even though his duties as chairman required hours of work, Mr. Hemphill continued to be available to students of the commercial aviation department, with his office door always open to any student who wanted to discuss aviation, life, or anything a young college student might face, and as he was known to many of his students as "Dr. H" or "Doc", he became their career advisor, personal advisor, and most importantly, their friend; and
WHEREAS, even after his retirement from Delta State University in 2003, students continued to seek Mr. Hemphill's advice and friendship, and as he never failed to spend as much time as needed listening, he always had good, sound advice for his former students; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Hemphill loved airplanes and aviation, but most importantly, he loved his students and dedicated his life to them, with many of his students going on to work for NASA, fly the President of the United States and the Governor of Mississippi, and fly airplanes around the world every day; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Legislature desires to recognize and honor outstanding individuals, especially those such as Mr. Hemphill, whose selfless dedication to serving others, and tremendous commitment to the aviation profession and industry, brings honor to the State of Mississippi; 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 and Robert E. Lee's birthday;
(c) The third Monday of February, designated as George Washington's birthday;
(d) The last Monday of April, designated as Confederate Memorial Day;
(e) The last Monday of May, designated as both National Memorial Day and Jefferson Davis' birthday;
(f) The fourth day of July, designated as Independence Day;
(g) The first Monday of September, designated as Labor Day;
(h) The eleventh day of November, designated as Armistice or Veterans' Day;
(i) 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
(j) 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 Robert E. Lee'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) The month of April is declared to be "Gary Hemphill Commercial Aviation Month" in recognition, observation and commemoration of Gary Hemphill, who was responsible for the State of Mississippi becoming a leader in commercial aviation.
( * * *5) 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.
( * * *6) 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, 2022.