SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the “Juneteenth” legislation, HF 3910, authored by Rep. Ruth Richardson (DFL – Mendota Heights). This bill establishes Juneteenth, June 19, as a state-recognized holiday.
Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth) voted for the bill.
“As we begin Black History Month, I was incredibly proud to vote for a bill to ensure our state permanently recognizes one of the most significant moments in our path to liberation for African Americans in this country,” Rep. Olson said. “While establishing Juneteenth as an official state holiday commemorates our past, we have a great deal of work ahead of us to remove inequities, create opportunities, and end discrimination so all Minnesotans can succeed and thrive.
June 19 is the date on which slavery is generally understood to have been fully abolished in the United States, following the first public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas on June 19, 1865. Current law recognizes Juneteenth as an official state observance on the third Saturday in June, including a requirement that the governor issue a proclamation honoring the observance, while not recognizing it as a full state holiday. In general, a public business may not be conducted on a state holiday. A law establishing Juneteenth as a federally recognized holiday was enacted in 2021.
The Senate has passed this bill and it will next go to the governor for his anticipated signature.