NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6914
SPONSOR: Carrozza (MS) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the general construction law, in
relation to the public holiday of flag day
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The bill would designate the fourteenth day of June as Flag Day, a
public holiday.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 24 of the General Construction Law is amended by designating
June 14th, as Flag Day, a public holiday.
EFFECTS OF PRESENT LAW WHICH THIS BILL WOULD ALTER:
This bill would amend §24 of the General Construction Law to change the
actual date of the holiday of Flag Day from the second Sunday in June to
the fourteenth day of June. §24 would also be amended to provide that
should June fourteenth fall on a Sunday, Flag Day would then be cele-
brated on the following day.
JUSTIFICATION:
Flag Day was first officially observed in 1877 to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of the adoption of the flag. In 1897, the Governor of New
York proclaimed a Flag Day celebration for the first time as an annual
event in New York State. President Woodrow Wilson established Flag Day
as an annual national celebration in 1916.
The governors of this State, including the current Governor, have annu-
ally issued proclamations designating June 14 as Flag Day and expressed
their sentiments as to what the flag means to this nation. The glorious
tradition that our country's flag has enjoyed, and the symbolism which
is attached to it should be officially recognized. For many decades,
our flag has symbolized the pride, freedom and opportunity that is
enjoyed by every individual in the United States. It is only fitting
that our flag is suitably honored by designating this holiday.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.10686 (1998) A.6802 (2002)
A.6707 (2000)
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6914
2003-2004 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 12, 2003
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CARROZZA, TOCCI, PHEFFER, ABBATE, SCARBOROUGH,
KLEIN, TONKO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CANESTRARI, CHRISTEN-
SEN, CLARK, A. COHEN, COLTON, COOK, DESTITO, DiNAPOLI, DINOWITZ,
ESPAILLAT, FARRELL, GREEN, GROMACK, HIKIND, HOOPER, KAUFMAN, KOON,
LENTOL, MAGEE, McENENY, NOLAN, ORTIZ, SEMINERIO, SIDIKMAN, SMITH,
SWEENEY, TOKASZ, WEINSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the general construction law, in relation to the public
holiday of flag day
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 24 of the general construction law, as amended by
2 chapter 347 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 24. Public holidays; half-holidays. The term public holiday includes
4 the following days in each year: the first day of January, known as New
5 Year's day; the third Monday of January, known as Dr. Martin Luther
6 King, Jr. day; the twelfth day of February, known as Lincoln's birthday;
7 the third Monday in February, known as Washington's birthday; the last
8 Monday in May, known as Memorial day; the [second Sunday] fourteenth day
9 in June, known as Flag day; the fourth day of July, known as Independ-
10 ence day; the first Monday in September, known as Labor day; the second
11 Monday in October, known as Columbus day; the eleventh day of November,
12 known as Veterans' day; the fourth Thursday in November, known as
13 Thanksgiving day; and the twenty-fifth day of December, known as Christ-
14 mas day, and if any of such days [except Flag day is Sunday] are
15 Sundays, the next day thereafter; each general election day, and each
16 day appointed by the president of the United States or by the governor
17 of this state as a day of general thanksgiving, general fasting and
18 prayer, or other general religious observances. The term half-holiday
19 includes the period from noon to midnight of each Saturday which is not
20 a public holiday.
21 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11237-01-3
