Bill Text: MS HB675 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Gold star Children's Day; designate August 1 of each year as.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2022-02-01 - Died In Committee [HB675 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2022-HB675-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2022 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Carpenter
House Bill 675
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DESIGNATE AUGUST 1 AS "GOLD STAR CHILDREN'S DAY" TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE CHILDREN OF UNITED STATES SOLDIERS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST IN COMBAT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the history of Gold Star Families began in the United States shortly after World War I, to provide support for mothers who lost sons or daughters in the war; and
WHEREAS, the reference to the gold star comes from the custom of families of servicemen or servicewomen hanging a service flag in the window of their homes displaying a gold star for those who have perished while serving in the line of duty in the Armed Forces; and
WHEREAS, the families of fallen soldiers have made a tremendous sacrifice on behalf of our country and should never be forgotten, and because of this, the United States began observing Gold Star Mothers Day on the last Sunday in September in 1936, and Gold Star Spouses Day is observed on April 5th; and
WHEREAS, children who have parents in the military have always had an important role throughout the United States Armed Forces community, and it is most often the children that carry on their parents legacy and tell stories of the ultimate sacrifice that their father or mother made for the freedoms of our nation; and
WHEREAS, currently, there is no date dedicated to the children of America's fallen soldiers, and all members of Gold Star families deserve to be recognized by our local, state and national leaders for their sacrifices and for their dedicated and patriotic support of the United States; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi Legislature desires to recognize and honor children of United States soldiers that have been lost in combat, and encourages all Mississippians to honor families whose loves ones have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could continue to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; 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) August 1 is declared to be "Gold Star Children's Day" to recognize and honor the children of United States soldiers that have been lost in combat, and to pay tribute to these American heroes whose dedication and service to the United States protects the freedoms of our country.
( * * *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.
