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H. B. No. 371 *HR31/R104* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: State Affairs
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Osborne
HOUSE BILL NO. 371
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REVISE THE STATE HOLIDAYS TO REMOVE CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY AS A 2
LEGAL HOLIDAY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. Section 3-3-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 5
amended as follows: 6
3-3-7. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) 7
of this section, the following are declared to be legal holidays, 8
viz: the first day of January (New Year's Day); the third Monday 9
of January (Robert E. Lee's birthday and Dr. Martin Luther King, 10
Jr.'s birthday); the third Monday of February (Washington's 11
birthday); * * * the last Monday of May (National Memorial Day and 12
Jefferson Davis' birthday); the fourth day of July (Independence 13
Day); the first Monday of September (Labor Day); the eleventh day 14
of November (Armistice or Veterans' Day); the day fixed by 15
proclamation by the Governor of Mississippi as a day of 16
Thanksgiving, which shall be fixed to correspond to the date 17
proclaimed by the President of the United States (Thanksgiving 18
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Day); and the twenty-fifth day of December (Christmas Day). In 19
the event any holiday hereinbefore declared legal shall fall on 20
Sunday, then the next following day shall be a legal holiday. 21
(2) In lieu of any one (1) legal holiday provided for in 22
subsection (1) of this section, with the exception of the third 23
Monday in January (Robert E. Lee's birthday and Martin Luther 24
King, Jr.'s birthday) and the eleventh day of November (Armistice 25
or Veterans' Day), the governing authorities of any municipality 26
or county may declare, by order spread upon its minutes, Mardi 27
Gras Day or any one (1) other day during the year, to be a legal 28
holiday. 29
(3) August 16 is declared to be Elvis Aaron Presley Day in 30
recognition and appreciation of Elvis Aaron Presley's many 31
contributions, international recognition and the rich legacy left 32
to us by Elvis Aaron Presley. This day shall be a day of 33
recognition and observation and shall not be recognized as a legal 34
holiday. 35
(4) May 8 is declared to be Hernando de Soto Day in 36
recognition, observation and commemoration of Hernando de Soto, 37
who led the first and most imposing expedition ever made by 38
Europeans into the wilds of North America and the State of 39
Mississippi, and in further recognition of the Spanish explorer's 40
187-day journey from the Tombigbee River basin on our state's 41
eastern boundary, westward to the place of discovery of the 42
Mississippi River on May 8, 1541. This day shall be a day of 43
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commemoration, recognition and observation of Hernando de Soto and 44
European exploration and shall not be recognized as a legal 45
holiday. 46
(5) Armistice Day (Veterans' Day) shall be observed by 47
appropriate exercises in all the public schools in the State of 48
Mississippi. The superintendent of schools of each public school 49
district is authorized to provide for the appearance of uniformed 50
military personnel, uniformed veterans or the families of fallen 51
military personnel/veterans at such public school exercises in 52
honor of Armistice (Veterans') Day. The superintendent of schools 53
is also authorized to permit the school band and its director(s) 54
at any public school in the district to perform at Armistice 55
(Veterans') Day exercises in the school district upon the request 56
of public officials or veterans associations without loss of any 57
program credit by participating students and without loss of leave 58
by participating school personnel. 59
(6) The month of March is declared to be "Mississippi 60
Musicians Month" to recognize and celebrate the state's rich 61
musical heritage and to encourage the world to join Mississippi in 62
honoring our musicians and their contributions. 63
(7) In recognition of the service, courage and sacrifice of 64
the valiant service members of the Tuskegee Airmen who served 65
during World War II, the fourth Thursday of March is designated as 66
Tuskegee Airmen Day in Mississippi. This should be a day of 67
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ST: State holidays; remove Confederate Memorial
Day as a legal state holiday.
recognition and observation and shall not be recognized as a legal 68
holiday. 69
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 70
and after its passage. 71