AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE LEGAL HOLIDAYS BY REMOVING CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY AND DESIGNATING THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JUNE AS JUNETEENTH FREEDOM DAY; TO CLARIFY WHEN A LEGAL HOLIDAY WILL BE CELEBRATED IF THE HOLIDAY FALLS ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
Summary
SB 2574 amends Mississippi’s legal holidays statute, Section 3-3-7 of the Mississippi Code, to remove Confederate Memorial Day from the list of legal holidays and add June 19 as Juneteenth Freedom Day. The bill also makes a technical clarification to the rule for observing holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday, specifying that the holiday is celebrated on the following Monday or on another day designated by the Governor.
The measure leaves the rest of Mississippi’s holiday framework largely intact, including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr./Robert E. Lee Day, Memorial Day/Jefferson Davis’ birthday, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It also preserves provisions allowing counties and municipalities to substitute certain holidays with Mardi Gras Day or another day, and it retains non-holiday observances such as Elvis Presley Day, Hernando de Soto Day, Mississippi Musicians Month, and Tuskegee Airmen Day.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would change Mississippi state law by eliminating Confederate Memorial Day as a legal holiday and formally recognizing Juneteenth Freedom Day as a state holiday. This would affect state holiday calendars, public offices, and any statutes or policies that reference the legal holidays listed in Section 3-3-7. The bill also clarifies holiday observance timing when a holiday falls on a weekend, which could affect scheduling for state agencies, local governments, schools, and other entities that follow the statutory holiday calendar.
Sentiment
Based on the bill’s caption and the absence of recorded committee discussion or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears to be supportive and straightforward, with the bill framed as a holiday modernization and recognition measure. The stated purpose suggests a positive emphasis on honoring Juneteenth while removing a holiday associated with the Confederacy. No contrary positions are documented in the supplied context.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the removal of Confederate Memorial Day, which may be opposed by those who favor retaining traditional or heritage-based observances. Conversely, supporters are likely to view the change as an important recognition of Juneteenth and a step away from commemorating the Confederacy. The weekend-holiday clarification appears technical and is less likely to be controversial than the holiday substitution itself.