Bill Text: IL HB0176 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the name of each federal holiday and State holiday designated on a unit of local government's calendar must match the name of the federal holiday and State holiday as designated by the State. Defines "federal holiday" and "State holiday". Limits home rule powers. Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning legal holidays, requires the name of each federal and State holiday as specified in that provision to be the name of the holiday that is designated on a school district's calendar for the school term. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-03-04 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB0176 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB0176-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The State Commemorative Dates Act is amended by
adding Section 203 as follows:
(5 ILCS 490/203 new)
Sec. 203. State holidays on calendars of units of local
government.
(a) The name of each federal holiday and State holiday
designated on a unit of local government's calendar must match
the name of the federal holiday and State holiday as
designated by the State.
(b) The regulation of the names of federal holidays and
State holidays as used by units of local government is an
exclusive power and function of the State. A home rule unit may
not regulate the names of federal holidays and State holidays
as used by the unit of local government. This Section is a
denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under
subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois
Constitution.
(c) For the purposes of this Section:
"Federal holiday" means New Year's Day, January 1; the
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in

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January; President's Day, the third Monday in February;
Memorial Day, the last Monday in May; Independence Day, July
4; Labor Day, the first Monday in September; Columbus Day, the
second Monday in October; Veterans' Day, November 11;
Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November; Christmas
Day, December 25; and any other day from time to time declared
by the President of the United States to be a day during which
the agencies of the State of Illinois that are ordinarily open
to do business with the public shall be closed for business.
"State holiday" means the Birthday of President Abraham
Lincoln, February 12; the first Monday in March (to be known as
Casimir Pulaski's birthday); Good Friday; and any other day
from time to time declared by the Governor of Illinois to be a
day during which the agencies of the State of Illinois that are
ordinarily open to do business with the public shall be closed
for business.
Section 10. The School Code is amended by changing Section
24-2 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/24-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 24-2)
Sec. 24-2. Holidays.
(a) Teachers shall not be required to teach on Saturdays,
nor, except as provided in subsection (b) of this Section,
shall teachers or other school employees, other than
noncertificated school employees whose presence is necessary

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because of an emergency or for the continued operation and
maintenance of school facilities or property, be required to
work on legal federal or State holidays school holidays, which
are January 1, New Year's Day; the third Monday in January, the
Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; February 12, the
Birthday of President Abraham Lincoln; the first Monday in
March (to be known as Casimir Pulaski's birthday); Good
Friday; the day designated as Memorial Day by federal law;
July 4, Independence Day; the first Monday in September, Labor
Day; the second Monday in October, Columbus Day; November 11,
Veterans' Day; the Thursday in November commonly called
Thanksgiving Day; and December 25, Christmas Day. The name of
each federal and State holiday as specified in this subsection
(a) must be the name of the holiday that is designated on a
school district's calendar for the school term. Under no
circumstance shall a school district either change the name of
or celebrate such holiday under a name other than as
designated by the State. School boards may grant special
holidays whenever in their judgment such action is advisable.
No deduction shall be made from the time or compensation of a
school employee on account of any legal or special holiday.
(b) A school board or other entity eligible to apply for
waivers and modifications under Section 2-3.25g of this Code
is authorized to hold school or schedule teachers' institutes,
parent-teacher conferences, or staff development on the third
Monday in January (the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King,

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Jr.); February 12 (the Birthday of President Abraham Lincoln);
the first Monday in March (known as Casimir Pulaski's
birthday); the second Monday in October (Columbus Day); and
November 11 (Veterans' Day), provided that:
(1) the person or persons honored by the holiday are
recognized through instructional activities conducted on
that day or, if the day is not used for student attendance,
on the first school day preceding or following that day;
and
(2) the entity that chooses to exercise this authority
first holds a public hearing about the proposal. The
entity shall provide notice preceding the public hearing
to both educators and parents. The notice shall set forth
the time, date, and place of the hearing, describe the
proposal, and indicate that the entity will take testimony
from educators and parents about the proposal.
(c) Commemorative holidays, which recognize specified
patriotic, civic, cultural or historical persons, activities,
or events, are regular school days. Commemorative holidays
are: January 28 (to be known as Christa McAuliffe Day and
observed as a commemoration of space exploration), February 15
(the birthday of Susan B. Anthony), March 29 (Viet Nam War
Veterans' Day), September 11 (September 11th Day of
Remembrance), the school day immediately preceding Veterans'
Day (Korean War Veterans' Day), October 1 (Recycling Day),
October 7 (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Remembrance Day),

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December 7 (Pearl Harbor Veterans' Day), and any day so
appointed by the President or Governor. School boards may
establish commemorative holidays whenever in their judgment
such action is advisable. School boards shall include
instruction relative to commemorated persons, activities, or
events on the commemorative holiday or at any other time
during the school year and at any point in the curriculum when
such instruction may be deemed appropriate. The State Board of
Education shall prepare and make available to school boards
instructional materials relative to commemorated persons,
activities, or events which may be used by school boards in
conjunction with any instruction provided pursuant to this
paragraph.
(d) City of Chicago School District 299 shall observe
March 4 of each year as a commemorative holiday. This holiday
shall be known as Mayors' Day which shall be a day to
commemorate and be reminded of the past Chief Executive
Officers of the City of Chicago, and in particular the late
Mayor Richard J. Daley and the late Mayor Harold Washington.
If March 4 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, Mayors' Day shall be
observed on the following Monday.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of State law to
the contrary, November 3, 2020 shall be a State holiday known
as 2020 General Election Day and shall be observed throughout
the State pursuant to this amendatory Act of the 101st General
Assembly. All government offices, with the exception of

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election authorities, shall be closed unless authorized to be
used as a location for election day services or as a polling
place.
(Source: P.A. 101-642, eff. 6-16-20.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.