BILL ANALYSIS
SB 1057
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 22, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, PROFESSIONS AND CONSUMER
PROTECTION
Mary Hayashi, Chair
SB 1057 (Denham) - As Amended: May 10, 2010
SENATE VOTE : 36-0
SUBJECT : State holidays: Veterans Day: state office closure.
SUMMARY : Requires that public offices of the state and state
institutions including, but not limited to, the Legislature, be
closed on November 11th for Veterans Day, as specified.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires public offices of the state and state institutions,
including, but not limited to, all state agencies and the
Legislature, to be closed on November 11th for Veterans Day,
or as follows:
a) If November 11th falls on a Saturday, public offices of the
state and state institutions, including the Legislature,
shall be closed on Friday, November 10th; or,
b) If November 11th falls on a Sunday, public offices of the
state and state institutions, including the Legislature,
shall be closed on Monday, November 12th.
2)States legislative intent that the University of California
(UC) also be closed on November 11th for Veterans Day.
EXISTING LAW recognizes public offices of the state and state
institutions, except for the UC, be closed on Veterans Day.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Purpose of this bill . According to the author's office, "In
2009, November 11th fell on a Wednesday. The Assembly and
almost all California state agencies recognized Veterans Day on
Wednesday November 11th; however, the Senate worked on
Wednesday and observed Veterans Day on Friday to get a three day
weekend. This was an insult. Belittling the sacrifices of
SB 1057
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veterans and their families by turning their day of remembrance
into a three day weekend perk for the Legislature was highly
inappropriate."
"SB 1057 will honor the brave men and women who served this
country on the Veterans Day holiday properly, and ensure this
slight does not happen again."
Background . Athough the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June
28, 1919, November 11th has remained in the public imagination
as the date that marked the end of the Great War. In November
1918, United States (U.S.) President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed
November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.
On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a resolution that the
"recurring anniversary of November 11, 1918, should be
commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed
to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding
between nations." By that time, 27 state legislatures had made
November 11th a legal holiday.
Federal legislation approved on May 13, 1938, made November 11th
a legal federal holiday, known as Armistice Day. In 1954, the
83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice
Day a holiday, striking the word "Armistice" in favor of
"Veterans." President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the
legislation on June 1, 1954, and from then on, November 11th
became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
The Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress in 1968, which
sought to ensure three-day weekends for federal employees by
celebrating four national holidays (Washington's Birthday,
Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day) on Mondays. It was
thought that these extended weekends would encourage
travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate
greater industrial and commercial production. The observation
of Veterans Day was set as the fourth Monday in October. Many
states disapproved of this change and continued to observe the
holiday on its original date.
In 1975, after it became evident that the actual date of
Veterans Day carried historical and patriotic significance to
many Americans, President Gerald R. Ford signed a new law
returning the observation of Veterans Day to November 11th,
starting in 1978. If November 11th falls on a Saturday or
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Sunday, the federal government observes the holiday on the
previous Friday or following Monday, respectively.
There are no U.S. national holidays because the states retain
the right to designate their own, and the federal government can
only designate holidays for federal employees and for the
District of Columbia. In practice, however, states almost
always follow the federal lead.
Previous legislation . AB 1013 (Scott), Chapter 446, Statues of
1999, repealed certain
provisions relating to civil service and employer-employee
relations between the state and its employees, to minor
discipline, layoffs, reinstatements, probationary periods,
salary ranges and adjustments, holidays, transfers, application
of the Administrative Procedure Act in the adoption of
regulations, and demonstration projects as those provisions
apply to State Bargaining Units 16 and 19.
SCR 47 (Morrow) of 2000 would have requested the UC Regents to
designate November 11th as a Veterans Day holiday for both staff
and students. This resolution was held in Senate Rules
Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
American Legion, Department of California
AMVETS, Department of California
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Rebecca May / B.,P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301