H 7781

2026 -- H 7781
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LC004793
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  STATE  OF       RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  AN ACT
   RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE -- HOLIDAYS
  Introduced By: Representatives Stewart, Kazarian, Cruz, Alzate, Morales, Kislak, Tanzi,
  Donovan, Potter, and Handy
  Date Introduced: February 12, 2026
  Referred To: House Special Legislation
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1SECTION 1. Section 25-1-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 25-1 entitled "Holidays" is
2 hereby amended to read as follows:
325-1-1. General holidays enumerated.
4The first day of January or, in the event that day is a Saturday or Sunday, then state
5 employees will celebrate the holiday on the following Monday (as New Year’s Day), the third
6 Monday of January (as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday), the third Monday of February (as
7 Washington’s Birthday), the fourth day of May (as Rhode Island Independence Day), the last
8 Monday of May (as Memorial Day), the nineteenth day of June or, in the event that day is a
9 Saturday or Sunday, then state employees will celebrate the holiday on the following Monday (as
10 Juneteenth National Freedom Day), the fourth day of July or, in the event that day is a Saturday or
11 Sunday, then state employees will celebrate the holiday on the following Monday (as Independence
12 Day), the second Monday of August (as Victory Day) (as Peace and Remembrance Day), the first
13 Monday of September (as Labor Day), the second Monday of October (as Columbus Day), the
14 eleventh day of November or, in the event that day is a Saturday or Sunday, then state employees
15 will celebrate the holiday on the following Monday (as Veterans’ Day), the twenty-fifth day of
16 December, or in the event that day is a Saturday or Sunday, then state employees will celebrate the
17 holiday on the following Monday (as Christmas Day), and each of the above days in every year, or
18 when either of the above days falls on the first day of the week, then the day following it, the
19 Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in each year in which a general election of state
1 officers is held (as election day), the first day of every week (commonly called Sunday), and any
2 other days as the governor or general assembly of this state or the president or the Congress of the
3 United States shall appoint as holidays for any purpose, days of thanksgiving, or days of solemn
4 fast, shall be holidays.
5SECTION 2. Section 25-1-1.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 25-1 entitled "Holidays" is
6 hereby repealed.
725-1-1.3. Victory Day — Prohibition against use of other name for holiday.
8No state or municipal governmental department or agency shall refer to the second Monday
9 of August, “Victory Day” by any other name in an advertisement paid for by the department or
10 agency.
11SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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  EXPLANATION
  BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  OF
  AN ACT
  RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE -- HOLIDAYS
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1This act would change the name of the holiday on the second Monday of August from
2 Victory Day to Peace and Remembrance Day.
3This act would take effect upon passage.
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