Legal Update Memo No. 15-2022(CC) – Juneteenth Added as Mandatory Holiday (CC)
Download pdf: 15-2022(CC) – Juneteenth Added as Mandatory Holiday (KAS)
On September 29, 2022, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (“AB”) 1655, which adds Juneteenth (June 19th) to the list of state holidays in Education Code.[1] This requires that all community colleges and K-12 school districts close on Juneteenth or pay classified employees who work that day 2.5 times their regular rate of pay.
Additionally, AB 1655 amends the Education Code to define that a day “appointed by the President” includes “the President signing into law legislation that creates a nationwide federal holiday, including the legal public holidays listed in subsection (a) of Section 6103 of Title 5 of the United States Code, but does not include Columbus Day. This definition is declaratory of existing law.”
Nevertheless, Education Code section 37220(e) remains unchanged, and permits the governing boards of K-12 school districts to adopt a resolution revising the date on which the district closes to observe any holiday other than Veterans Day, including Juneteenth. There is no such provision for community college districts, although Education Code section 79020(h) permits community college districts to close on the day observed under federal law, rather than state law, if such dates differ.
This law goes into effect on January 1, 2023. Please note that this will be in effect for the 2022-23 school year, and districts are reminded to review their calendars in light of this change.
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The information in this Legal Update is provided as a summary of law and is not intended as legal advice. Application of the law may vary depending on the particular facts and circumstances at issue. We, therefore, recommend that you consult legal counsel to advise you on how the law applies to your specific situation.
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[1] This law amends multiple sections of the Education Code: Sections 37220, 45203, 79020, and 88203.
