AN ACT relating to Women Veterans Appreciation Day and declaring an emergency.
Summary
HB 352 designates June 12 of each year as “Women Veterans Appreciation Day” in Kentucky. The bill directs the Governor to issue an annual proclamation recognizing the day and encouraging citizens to acknowledge the contributions, sacrifices, and valor of women veterans. The measure is framed as a commemorative observance rather than a regulatory or spending bill, and it includes findings describing the historical service of women in the armed forces and the long period during which their contributions were underrecognized.
The bill also declares an emergency, which would make it effective immediately upon passage and approval. The emergency clause is tied to the desire to recognize women veterans in 2026 without delay. The bill creates a new section in KRS Chapter 2, Kentucky’s statutes governing state holidays and commemorative days, thereby adding a formal annual observance to state law.
Impact
HB 352 would amend Kentucky law by adding a new commemorative day in KRS Chapter 2 and requiring an annual gubernatorial proclamation for Women Veterans Appreciation Day on June 12. It does not create new benefits, penalties, or programs, but it does impose a recurring ceremonial duty on the Governor’s office and formally places women veterans within the state’s statutory recognition framework alongside other observances.
Sentiment
The bill appears broadly positive and noncontroversial based on its text and available context. Its findings emphasize gratitude, recognition, and historical appreciation for women who served in the military, and there is no recorded committee testimony or vote history indicating opposition. The emergency declaration suggests a sense of urgency to honor women veterans promptly, reinforcing the supportive tone surrounding the measure.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available committee or vote records. If any debate were to arise, it would most likely concern the use of an emergency clause for a ceremonial bill or the proliferation of designated appreciation days in statute, but no such objections are reflected in the provided materials. The bill’s subject matter—honoring women veterans—suggests a consensus-oriented measure with little apparent controversy.