Florida Senate - 2009                                     SB 688
       
       
       
       By Senator Hill
       
       
       
       
       1-00879-09                                             2009688__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to Juneteenth Independence Day;
    3         amending s. 683.21, F.S.; renaming Juneteenth Day as
    4         “Juneteenth Independence Day”; requiring the Governor
    5         to annually issue a proclamation concerning Juneteenth
    6         Independence Day; providing criteria concerning the
    7         proclamation's contents; providing an effective date.
    8         
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10         
   11         Section 1.  Section 683.21, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   12  read:
   13         683.21 Juneteenth Independence Day.—
   14         (1) June 19th of each year is hereby designated “Juneteenth
   15  Independence Day” to commemorate the traditional observance of
   16  the day the slaves in Florida were notified of the Emancipation
   17  Proclamation and in recognition of June 19, 1865, when Union
   18  General Gordon Granger announced freedom for all slaves in the
   19  southwestern United States.
   20         (2) The Governor shall annually may issue annually a
   21  proclamation designating June 19th as Juneteenth Independence
   22  Day, to be observed on the Saturday that is closest to June
   23  19th, recognizing the end of slavery in the United States and
   24  the significant contributions that individuals of African
   25  descent have made to this state and the United States, and
   26  calling on public officials, schools, private organizations, and
   27  all members of the public citizens to honor the historic
   28  significance of the day and observe the day in an appropriate
   29  manner.
   30         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.