US EditionAlabama lawmakers vote to make Juneteenth an official state holiday
- Alabama lawmakers passed legislation on Wednesday to make Juneteenth an official state holiday, pending Governor Kay Ivey's approval.
- The bill follows previous failed efforts partly due to attempts to link Juneteenth with Confederate holidays, but this legislation establishes it as a standalone holiday.
- Juneteenth marks the day on June 19, 1865, when formerly enslaved individuals in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their freedom by Union troops, occurring two months after the Civil War had concluded.
- The legislation was approved by the Alabama House with a vote of 85-4 and by the Senate with a tally of 13-5, despite many Republicans choosing not to vote, and Representative Rick Rehm emphasized that the holiday holds significant recognition.
- With the law signed, Alabama will permanently close state offices on June 19 each year to observe Juneteenth, becoming among the final states in the South to officially recognize the holiday as distinct from Confederate commemorations.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Alabama formally recognizes Juneteenth as state holiday with new law
Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday signed House Bill 165 into law, officially establishing Juneteenth as a permanent state holiday in Alabama. Sponsored by Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, and Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan, the legislation ensures that state offices will close each year on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. “Since President Trump observed Juneteenth in June of 2020, we have proclaimed it each year, and I am ple…
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Alabama lawmakers vote to make Juneteenth an official state holiday
Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday gave final passage to legislation that will make Juneteenth an official state holiday. The Alabama Senate voted 13-5 for the legislation that now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey for her to sign or veto. Ivey, for…
Bill to make Juneteenth a state holiday headed to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk
State Rep. Rick Rehm’s bill to make Juneteenth a state holiday is headed to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for signature after the Alabama Senate approved it on Wednesday.Juneteenth, or June 19, commemorates the day upon which Black slaves learned of their emancipation in 1865.
Alabama lawmakers send Juneteenth holiday bill to Gov. Kay Ivey
A sculpture of enslaved men, women and children seen in Alabama Bicentennial Park in Montgomery, Alabama on January 24, 2023. Alabama was a slave state from 1819 to 1865, and Montgomery was a major slave trading destination. The Alabama Senate Wednesday gave final approval to a bill making Juneteenth a state holiday. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)The Alabama Senate Wednesday gave final approval to a bill making Juneteenth a state holiday in Ala…
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