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Committee amends and approves HB165 to designate Juneteenth a standalone state holiday
Summary
A committee approved an amended HB165 to make Juneteenth a state holiday, moving it from optional recognition alongside other observances to a standalone state holiday; the State Personnel Department advised closing offices on the day for administrative simplicity.
A legislative committee approved HB165, as amended, to add Juneteenth to the state list of holidays and to make it a standalone state holiday observed by closing state offices.
Representative Ream introduced HB165, saying the bill would "make Juneteenth the holiday," and that an amendment under consideration would alter the bill's current language. Representative Lawrence offered the amendment, explaining that, as drafted, the bill would have left a choice between recognizing Jefferson Davis Day or Juneteenth; the amendment replaces those provisions to add Juneteenth as a state holiday under the Code of Alabama (1975) and aligns the statutory holiday text so that state holidays are observed by closing state offices.
Lexi Solerio of the State Personnel Department told the committee that keeping offices open for two competing holidays would be "logistically difficult" and that closing state offices on a single day is administratively easier for large agencies. Solerio also reminded members that the governor has declared Juneteenth a holiday for state employees since 2021, meaning state employees have observed the day by gubernatorial proclamation in prior years.
Representative Lawrence and others noted the historical effort by some lawmakers to secure statutory recognition for Juneteenth, and Representative Lawrence said he was "glad that we are getting over the finish line." Representative Butler moved to adopt the amendment; another member seconded and the committee approved the amendment by voice vote. Later, Representative Butler moved to pass the bill as amended; the motion was seconded and the committee approved HB165 by voice vote.
The transcript records the bill's passage but does not include a roll-call tally or a reading of the final statutory language beyond the amendment descriptions. The amendment text referenced page and line replacements (for example, replacing text on page 1, lines 7–10, and deleting lines on page 3), but the committee did not read a full revised bill on the record during the recorded segment. Implementation details such as whether closing state offices will apply to all agencies without exceptions, or the effective date for statutory change, were not specified in the recorded discussion.
Votes at a glance: HB165 (as amended) — amendment adopted (mover: Representative Lawrence); final passage moved by Representative Butler and seconded (second named as "Representative void" in the transcript); outcome: passed by voice vote (no roll-call tally recorded in transcript).
