2016 -- S 2264

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LC003792

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - HOLIDAYS

     Introduced By: Senators Gee, Raptakis, and Metts

     Date Introduced: February 09, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Education

     (by request)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-20-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-20 entitled "Holidays

and Days of Special Observance" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-20-1. School holidays enumerated. – (a) The first day of January (as New Year's

Day), the third Monday of January (as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), the twenty-second day of

February (as Washington's Birthday), the thirtieth day of May (as Memorial Day), the fourth day

of July (as Independence Day), the twelfth day of October (as Columbus Day), the eleventh day

of November (as Veterans Day), the twenty-fifth day of December (as Christmas Day), and each

of these days in every year, or when any of the days falls on a Sunday, then the day following it,

the first Monday of September (as Labor Day), and any other days that the governor or general

assembly of this state or the president or the congress of the United States shall appoint as

holidays for any purpose, days of thanksgiving, or days of solemn fast, shall be school holidays

and no session of any school, except as provided in this section, in this state shall be held on any

one of these days. Independent schools shall not be required to observe as a holiday the third

Monday of January (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).

     (b) The decision as to whether municipal schools shall be closed on the twelfth day of

October (as Columbus Day) shall be made yearly by each individual municipal or regional school

department(s).

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - HOLIDAYS

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     This act would allow municipal schools to be open on Columbus Day if their school

department so decides.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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