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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Arnold
HOUSE BILL NO. 56
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
DECLARE SEPTEMBER 11 OF EACH YEAR TO BE PATRIOT'S DAY IN 2
REMEMBRANCE OF THE VICTIMS OF THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 TERRORIST 3
ATTACKS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 3-3-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
3-3-7. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) 8
of this section, the following are declared to be legal holidays, 9
viz: the first day of January (New Year's Day); the third Monday 10
of January (Robert E. Lee's birthday and Dr. Martin Luther King, 11
Jr.'s birthday); the third Monday of February (Washington's 12
birthday); the last Monday of April (Confederate Memorial Day); 13
the last Monday of May (National Memorial Day and Jefferson Davis' 14
birthday); the fourth day of July (Independence Day); the first 15
Monday of September (Labor Day); the eleventh day of November 16
(Armistice or Veterans' Day); the day fixed by proclamation by the 17
Governor of Mississippi as a day of Thanksgiving, which shall be 18
fixed to correspond to the date proclaimed by the President of the 19
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United States (Thanksgiving Day); and the twenty-fifth day of 20
December (Christmas Day). In the event any holiday hereinbefore 21
declared legal shall fall on Sunday, then the next following day 22
shall be a legal holiday. 23
(2) In lieu of any one (1) legal holiday provided for in 24
subsection (1) of this section, with the exception of the third 25
Monday in January (Robert E. Lee's birthday and Martin Luther 26
King, Jr.'s birthday) and the eleventh day of November (Armistice 27
or Veterans' Day), the governing authorities of any municipality 28
or county may declare, by order spread upon its minutes, Mardi 29
Gras Day or any one (1) other day during the year, to be a legal 30
holiday. 31
(3) August 16 is declared to be Elvis Aaron Presley Day in 32
recognition and appreciation of Elvis Aaron Presley's many 33
contributions, international recognition and the rich legacy left 34
to us by Elvis Aaron Presley. This day shall be a day of 35
recognition and observation and shall not be recognized as a legal 36
holiday. 37
(4) May 8 is declared to be Hernando de Soto Day in 38
recognition, observation and commemoration of Hernando de Soto, 39
who led the first and most imposing expedition ever made by 40
Europeans into the wilds of North America and the State of 41
Mississippi, and in further recognition of the Spanish explorer's 42
187-day journey from the Tombigbee River basin on our state's 43
eastern boundary, westward to the place of discovery of the 44
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Mississippi River on May 8, 1541. This day shall be a day of 45
commemoration, recognition and observation of Hernando de Soto and 46
European exploration and shall not be recognized as a legal 47
holiday. 48
(5) Armistice Day (Veterans' Day) shall be observed by 49
appropriate exercises in all the public schools in the State of 50
Mississippi. The superintendent of schools of each public school 51
district is authorized to provide for the appearance of uniformed 52
military personnel, uniformed veterans or the families of fallen 53
military personnel/veterans at such public school exercises in 54
honor of Armistice (Veterans') Day. The superintendent of schools 55
is also authorized to permit the school band and its director(s) 56
at any public school in the district to perform at Armistice 57
(Veterans') Day exercises in the school district upon the request 58
of public officials or veterans associations without loss of any 59
program credit by participating students and without loss of leave 60
by participating school personnel. 61
(6) The month of March is declared to be "Mississippi 62
Musicians Month" to recognize and celebrate the state's rich 63
musical heritage and to encourage the world to join Mississippi in 64
honoring our musicians and their contributions. 65
(7) In recognition of the service, courage and sacrifice of 66
the valiant service members of the Tuskegee Airmen who served 67
during World War II, the fourth Thursday of March is designated as 68
Tuskegee Airmen Day in Mississippi. This should be a day of 69
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ST: Patriot's Day; designate September 11th of
each year as.
recognition and observation and shall not be recognized as a legal 70
holiday. 71
(8) September 11 is declared to be Patriot's Day in 72
remembrance of the 2,977 people killed and the numerous people who 73
were injured during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, 74
in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. 75
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 76
and after its passage. 77