Hawaii-2021-HB242-Introduced

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	242
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., DAY.

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

SECTION 1. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed into law a bill establishing the third Monday in January as a federal holiday and officially designating that day as the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1988, Governor John Waihee signed into a law a bill establishing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day as a state holiday.

Today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is remembered for his role in advancing the civil rights movement through nonviolence and civil disobedience.

Nearly forty years ago, when making the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., a federal holiday, President Reagan said, "We've made historic strides since Rosa Parks refused to go to the back of the bus." However, many would disagree today that such significant strides have been made. Participation in activism against police brutality and racially motivated violence against African-Americans is at an all-time high, with the black lives matter movement being called the largest civil rights movement in United States history. In Hawaii, the issue of native Hawaiian rights continues to stagnate, with few seeing meaningful improvement.

The legislature finds that the issues of equality and civil rights should be revisited along with the legacy of Dr. King. To begin this revisitation, Hawaii should broaden the scope and message of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day to include empathy for the struggles of other peoples, recognize that inequality continues to exist throughout Hawaii, and acknowledge that many individuals do not have basic civil rights. This will encourage the people of Hawaii to consider how others feel and to take action to increase equality and civil rights protections. As sung by Israel Kamakawiwoole in "Hawaii '78":

Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono O Hawaii
(The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness)
If just for a day our king and queen
Would visit all these islands and saw everything
How would they feel about the changes of our land?

The purpose of this Act is to expand the scope of recognition of the second holiday in January to include a message to all to practice empathy toward others.

SECTION 2. Section 8-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§8-1 Holidays designated. The following days of each year are set apart and established as state holidays:

The first day in January, New Year's Day;

The third Monday in January, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.[,]/How Would They Feel Day;

The third Monday in February, Presidents' Day;

The twenty-sixth day in March, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day;

The Friday preceding Easter Sunday, Good Friday;

The last Monday in May, Memorial Day;

The eleventh day in June, King Kamehameha I Day;

The fourth day in July, Independence Day;

The third Friday in August, Statehood Day;

The first Monday in September, Labor Day;

The eleventh day in November, Veterans' Day;

The fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving Day;

The twenty-fifth day in December, Christmas Day;

All election days, except primary and special election days, in the county wherein the election is held;

Any day designated by proclamation by the President of the United States or by the governor as a holiday."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________