Bill > HB126

This bill amends Kentucky state law to add Juneteenth National Freedom Day (June 19th) to the list of official state holidays. Currently, Kentucky recognizes several holidays including New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, and Christmas Day, among others. By adding Juneteenth, the bill formally acknowledges and commemorates the historical significance of June 19th, which marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas were finally informed of their emancipation, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. This addition means that state public offices may be closed on Juneteenth, similar to other recognized holidays, and it represents a formal recognition of an important moment in African American history and the ongoing struggle for racial equality in the United States.

Government Affairs

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25RS/hb126.html