MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Frazier
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE LEGISLATURE SHALL NOT MEET ON THE THIRD MONDAY IN JANUARY (ROBERT E. LEE'S BIRTHDAY AND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.'S BIRTHDAY); AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
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 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) The Legislature or any committee thereof shall not meet on the third Monday of January (Robert E. Lee's birthday and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday).
( * * *3) 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.
( * * *4) 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.
( * * *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 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, 2013.