Trick-or-treat day

AN ACT Relating to establishing trick-or-treat day; amending RCW 1
1.16.050; and creating a new section. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the celebration 4
of Halloween is a centuries old tradition celebrated by children and 5
the young at heart across Washington state. The celebration of this 6
holiday on October 31st when it falls during the school week, 7
however, has created a number of negative consequences including 8
learning loss and absenteeism on the day of and the day following 9
Halloween. It also makes it more difficult for families to celebrate 10
the holiday together.11
The legislature finds that establishing a "Trick-or-Treat Day" 12
the weekend prior to the first day of November will reduce stress for 13
families and improve public safety by allowing children to begin 14
earlier in the day before nightfall and reduce accidents and 15
fatalities by allowing for roads to be closed that are utilized by 16
commuters during the school week. 17
Sec. 2. RCW 1.16.050 and 2024 c 76 s 3 are each amended to read 18
as follows: 19
(1) The following are state legal holidays: 20
S-0452.1
SENATE BILL 5159
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Shewmake, Frame, and Nobles
Prefiled 01/07/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.
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(a) Sunday; 1
(b) The first day of January, commonly called New Year's Day;2
(c) The third Monday of January, celebrated as the anniversary of 3
the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr.; 4
(d) The third Monday of February, to be known as Presidents' Day 5
and celebrated as the anniversary of the births of Abraham Lincoln 6
and George Washington; 7
(e) The last Monday of May, commonly known as Memorial Day;8
(f) The nineteenth day of June, recognized as Juneteenth, a day 9
of remembrance for the day the African slaves learned of their 10
freedom; 11
(g) The fourth day of July, the anniversary of the Declaration of 12
Independence; 13
(h) The first Monday in September, to be known as Labor Day;14
(i) The eleventh day of November, to be known as Veterans Day;15
(j) The fourth Thursday in November, to be known as Thanksgiving 16
Day; 17
(k) The Friday immediately following the fourth Thursday in 18
November, to be known as Native American Heritage Day; and19
(l) The twenty-fifth day of December, commonly called Christmas 20
Day. 21
(2) Employees of the state and its political subdivisions, except 22
employees of school districts and except those nonclassified 23
employees of institutions of higher education who hold appointments 24
or are employed under contracts to perform services for periods of 25
less than twelve consecutive months, are entitled to one paid holiday 26
per calendar year in addition to those specified in this section. 27
Each employee of the state or its political subdivisions may select 28
the day on which the employee desires to take the additional holiday 29
provided for in this section after consultation with the employer 30
pursuant to guidelines to be promulgated by rule of the appropriate 31
personnel authority, or in the case of local government by ordinance 32
or resolution of the legislative authority. 33
(3) Employees of the state and its political subdivisions, 34
including employees of school districts and those nonclassified 35
employees of institutions of higher education who hold appointments 36
or are employed under contracts to perform services for periods of 37
less than twelve consecutive months, are entitled to two unpaid 38
holidays per calendar year for a reason of faith or conscience or an 39
organized activity conducted under the auspices of a religious 40
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denomination, church, or religious organization. This includes 1
employees of public institutions of higher education, including 2
community colleges, technical colleges, and workforce training 3
programs. The employee may select the days on which the employee 4
desires to take the two unpaid holidays after consultation with the 5
employer pursuant to guidelines to be promulgated by rule of the 6
appropriate personnel authority, or in the case of local government 7
by ordinance or resolution of the legislative authority. If an 8
employee prefers to take the two unpaid holidays on specific days for 9
a reason of faith or conscience, or an organized activity conducted 10
under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious 11
organization, the employer must allow the employee to do so unless 12
the employee's absence would impose an undue hardship on the employer 13
or the employee is necessary to maintain public safety. Undue 14
hardship shall have the meaning established in rule by the office of 15
financial management under RCW 43.41.109. 16
(4) If any of the state legal holidays specified in this section 17
are also federal legal holidays but observed on different dates, only 18
the state legal holidays are recognized as a paid legal holiday for 19
employees of the state and its political subdivisions. However, for 20
port districts and the law enforcement and public transit employees 21
of municipal corporations, either the federal or the state legal 22
holiday is recognized as a paid legal holiday, but in no case may 23
both holidays be recognized as a paid legal holiday for employees.24
(5) Whenever any state legal holiday: 25
(a) Other than Sunday, falls upon a Sunday, the following Monday 26
is the legal holiday; or 27
(b) Falls upon a Saturday, the preceding Friday is the legal 28
holiday. 29
(6) Nothing in this section may be construed to have the effect 30
of adding or deleting the number of paid holidays provided for in an 31
agreement between employees and employers of political subdivisions 32
of the state or as established by ordinance or resolution of the 33
local government legislative authority. 34
(7) The legislature declares that the following days are 35
recognized as provided in this subsection, but may not be considered 36
legal holidays for any purpose: 37
(a) The thirteenth day of January, recognized as Korean-American 38
day; 39
(b) The twelfth day of October, recognized as Columbus day;40
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(c) The ninth day of April, recognized as former prisoner of war 1
recognition day; 2
(d) The twenty-sixth day of January, recognized as Washington 3
army and air national guard day; 4
(e) The seventh day of August, recognized as purple heart 5
recipient recognition day; 6
(f) The second Sunday in October, recognized as Washington state 7
children's day; 8
(g) The sixteenth day of April, recognized as Mother Joseph day;9
(h) The fourth day of September, recognized as Marcus Whitman 10
day; 11
(i) The seventh day of December, recognized as Pearl Harbor 12
remembrance day; 13
(j) The twenty-seventh day of July, recognized as national Korean 14
war veterans armistice day; 15
(k) The nineteenth day of February, recognized as civil liberties 16
day of remembrance; 17
(l) The thirtieth day of March, recognized as welcome home 18
Vietnam veterans day; 19
(m) The eleventh day of January, recognized as human trafficking 20
awareness day; 21
(n) The thirty-first day of March, recognized as Cesar Chavez 22
day; 23
(o) The tenth day of April, recognized as Dolores Huerta day;24
(p) The fourth Saturday of September, recognized as public lands 25
day; 26
(q) The eighteenth day of December, recognized as blood donor 27
day; 28
(r) The fifteenth day of May, recognized as water safety day;29
(s) The ninth day of March, recognized as Billy Frank Jr. day; 30
((and))31
(t) The date corresponding with the second new moon following the 32
winter solstice, or the third new moon following the winter solstice 33
should an intercalary month intervene, recognized as the lunar new 34
year; and35
(u) The last Saturday in October, or the last Friday in October 36
as cities, towns, and counties may authorize due to inclement 37
weather, recognized as trick-or-treat day. 38
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