Juneteenth Now an Official State Holiday - Articles

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Posted by: Jamie Rhode on Apr 26, 2023

Lawmakers passed legislation last week designating June 19 as an official state holiday, The Tennessean reports. Juneteenth recognizes the emancipation of enslaved people in America. It became a federal holiday in 2021, and Metro Nashville designated it as a paid holiday in 2022. With passage of this bill, state employees will now receive paid time off for the day. The bill now awaits Gov. Bill Lee's official signature. Lee earmarked about $700,000 in his budget last year to cover state employee paid time off for the holiday, but legislation failed to advance through the General Assembly in 2022.