LRB-5644/1
MPG:kjf
2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
February 20, 2020 - Introduced by Senators Johnson, Smith and Larson,
cosponsored by Representatives
Crowley, Zamarripa, Anderson, Bowen,
Brostoff, Cabrera, Emerson, Haywood, Neubauer, Riemer, Stubbs, C.
Taylor and L. Myers. Referred to Committee on Government Operations,
Technology and Consumer Protection.
SB828,1,3
1An Act to amend 230.35 (4) (c) and 995.20; and
to create 230.35 (4) (a) 5m. of
2the statutes;
relating to: establishing a legal holiday known as Democracy Day
3and closing state offices on that day.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill designates the Tuesday after the first Monday in November as a legal
holiday, known as Democracy Day, in honor of veterans and their effort to protect our
democracy, liberties, and freedoms, especially the right to vote. The bill also
establishes Democracy Day as a state holiday on which state offices are closed.
Under current law, the offices of the agencies of state government are generally
closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and a total of nine state holidays. Finally, the bill
increases the number of regular paid holidays state employees receive annually from
nine days to ten days each year.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB828,1
4Section 1
. 230.35 (4) (a) 5m. of the statutes is created to read:
SB828,1,55
230.35
(4) (a) 5m. The Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
SB828,2
1Section
2. 230.35 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB828,2,52
230.35
(4) (c) Except as provided in the compensation plan under s. 230.12, all
3employees except limited term employees shall receive
9 10 paid holidays annually
4in addition to any other authorized paid leave, the time to be at the discretion of the
5appointing authorities.
SB828,3
6Section
3. 995.20 of the statutes is amended to read:
SB828,3,2
7995.20 Legal holidays. January 1, the 3rd Monday in January (which shall
8be the day of celebration for January 15), the 3rd Monday in February (which shall
9be the day of celebration for February 12 and 22), the last Monday in May (which
10shall be the day of celebration for May 30), June 19, which shall be the day of
11observation for Juneteenth Day, July 4, the 1st Monday in September which shall be
12known as Labor day, the 2nd Monday in October,
the Tuesday after the first Monday
13in November, which shall be known as Democracy Day, in honor of veterans and their
14effort to protect our democracy, liberties, and freedoms, especially the right to vote, 15November 11, the 4th Thursday in November (which shall be the day of celebration
16for Thanksgiving), December 25,
and the day of holding the partisan primary
17election
, and the day of holding the general election in November are legal holidays.
18On Good Friday the period from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. shall uniformly be observed for the
19purpose of worship. In every 1st class city the day of holding any municipal election
20is a legal holiday, and in every such city the afternoon of each day upon which a
21primary election is held for the nomination of candidates for city offices is a half
22holiday and in counties having a population of 750,000 or more the county board may
23by ordinance provide that all county employees shall have a half holiday on the day
24of such primary election and a holiday on the day of such municipal election, and that
25employees whose duties require that they work on such days be given equivalent
1time off on other days. Whenever any legal holiday falls on Sunday, the succeeding
2Monday shall be the legal holiday.