November 8, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives J. Anderson, Snodgrass, C. Anderson, Andraca, Baldeh, Bare, Cabrera, Conley, Drake, Emerson, Moore Omokunde, Ohnstad, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Ratcliff, Shankland, Shelton, Sinicki, Stubbs, Clancy and Jacobson, cosponsored by Senators L. Johnson, Smith, Hesselbein, Roys and Taylor. Referred to Committee on State Affairs.
AB623,,22An Act to amend 230.35 (4) (c) and 995.20; and to create 230.35 (4) (a) 5m. of the statutes; relating to: establishing a legal holiday known as Democracy Day and closing state offices on that day. AB623,,33Analysis 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 10 days each year.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
AB623,,44The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: AB623,15Section 1. 230.35 (4) (a) 5m. of the statutes is created to read: AB623,,66230.35 (4) (a) 5m. The Tuesday after the first Monday in November. AB623,27Section 2. 230.35 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read: AB623,,88230.35 (4) (c) Except as provided in the compensation plan under s. 230.12, all employees except limited term employees shall receive 9 10 paid holidays annually in addition to any other authorized paid leave, the time to be at the discretion of the appointing authorities. AB623,39Section 3. 995.20 of the statutes is amended to read: AB623,,1010995.20 Legal holidays. January 1, the 3rd Monday in January (which shall be the day of celebration for January 15), the 3rd Monday in February (which shall be the day of celebration for February 12 and 22), the last Monday in May (which shall be the day of celebration for May 30), June 19, which shall be the day of observation for Juneteenth Day, July 4, the 1st Monday in September which shall be known as Labor day, the 2nd Monday in October, the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, which shall be known as Democracy Day, in honor of veterans and their effort to protect our democracy, liberties, and freedoms, especially the right to vote, November 11, the 4th Thursday in November (which shall be the day of celebration for Thanksgiving), December 25, and the day of holding the partisan primary election, and the day of holding the general election in November are legal holidays. On Good Friday the period from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. shall uniformly be observed for the purpose of worship. In every 1st class city the day of holding any municipal election is a legal holiday, and in every such city the afternoon of each day upon which a primary election is held for the nomination of candidates for city offices is a half holiday and in counties having a population of 750,000 or more the county board may by ordinance provide that all county employees shall have a half holiday on the day of such primary election and a holiday on the day of such municipal election, and that employees whose duties require that they work on such days be given equivalent time off on other days. Whenever any legal holiday falls on Sunday, the succeeding Monday shall be the legal holiday.
