Georgia adds Juneteenth
to list of state holidays
By Dave Williams Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA — State workers will get a day off to observe Juneteenth for the first time this year, subject to the approval of the General Assembly.
A memo Gov. Brian Kemp sent to state agency heads last week lists Juneteenth — marking the freedom of enslaved Americans at the end of the Civil War — as one of 13 holidays when state offices will be closed.
The holiday will be observed on June 20 this year because June 19 — the actual Juneteenth holiday — falls on a Sunday.
The additional holiday requires legislative approval because current Georgia law only lists 12 state holidays
Legislation pre-filed in the state House of Representatives last week by Rep. Lauren McDonald, R-Cumming, one of Kemp’s floor leaders in the House, would authorize a 13th state holiday.
