HF 211

1st Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/27/2023 04:04pm

A bill for an act
relating to holiday observances; requiring school observance of Indigenous Peoples
Day; establishing Indigenous Peoples Day as a state holiday and eliminating
Christopher Columbus Day as a state holiday; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022,
sections 120A.42; 645.44, subdivision 5, as amended.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 120A.42, is amended to read:

120A.42 CONDUCT OF SCHOOL ON CERTAIN HOLIDAYS.

(a) The governing body of any district may contract with any of the teachers of the
district for the conduct of schools, and may conduct schools, on either, or any, of the
following holidays, provided that a clause to this effect is inserted in the teacher's contract:
Martin Luther King's birthday, Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays, deleted text begin Columbus Day deleted text end new text begin
Indigenous Peoples Day, new text end and Veterans' Day. On Martin Luther King's birthday, Washington's
birthday, Lincoln's birthday, and Veterans' Day at least one hour of the school program
must be devoted to a patriotic observance of the day. new text begin On Indigenous Peoples Day, at least
one hour of the school program must be devoted to observance of the day. As part of its
observance of Indigenous Peoples Day, a district may provide professional development to
teachers and staff, or instruction to students, on the following topics:
new text end

new text begin (1) the history of treaties between the United States and Indigenous peoples;
new text end

new text begin (2) the history of federal boarding schools for Indigenous children;
new text end

new text begin (3) Indigenous languages;
new text end

new text begin (4) Indigenous traditional medicines and cultural or spiritual practices;
new text end

new text begin (5) the sovereignty of Tribal nations;
new text end

new text begin (6) the contributions of Indigenous people to American culture, literature, and society;
and
new text end

new text begin (7) current issues affecting Indigenous communities.
new text end

(b) A district may conduct a school program to honor Constitution Day and Citizenship
Day by providing opportunities for students to learn about the principles of American
democracy, the American system of government, American citizens' rights and
responsibilities, American history, and American geography, symbols, and holidays. Among
other activities under this paragraph, districts may administer to students the test questions
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services officers pose to applicants for
naturalization.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 645.44, subdivision 5, as amended by Laws 2023,
chapter 5, section 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Holiday.

new text begin (a) new text end "Holiday" includes New Year's Day, January 1; Martin Luther
King's Birthday, the third Monday in January; Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday, the
third Monday in February; Memorial Day, the last Monday in May; Juneteenth, June 19;
Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, the first Monday in September; deleted text begin Christopher Columbus deleted text end new text begin
Indigenous Peoples new text end Day, the second Monday in October; Veterans Day, November 11;
Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November; and Christmas Day, December 25;
provided, when New Year's Day, January 1; or Juneteenth, June 19; or Independence Day,
July 4; or Veterans Day, November 11; or Christmas Day, December 25; falls on Sunday,
the following day shall be a holiday and, provided, when New Year's Day, January 1; or
Juneteenth, June 19; or Independence Day, July 4; or Veterans Day, November 11; or
Christmas Day, December 25; falls on Saturday, the preceding day shall be a holiday. No
public business shall be transacted on any holiday, except in cases of necessity and except
in cases of public business transacted by the legislature, nor shall any civil process be served
thereon. However, for the executive branch of the state of Minnesota, "holiday" also includes
the Friday after Thanksgiving but does not include deleted text begin Christopher Columbus deleted text end new text begin Indigenous
Peoples new text end Day. Other branches of state government and political subdivisions shall have the
option of determining whether deleted text begin Christopher Columbus deleted text end new text begin Indigenous Peoples new text end Day and the
Friday after Thanksgiving shall be holidays. Where it is determined that deleted text begin Columbus deleted text end new text begin
Indigenous Peoples new text end Day or the Friday after Thanksgiving is not a holiday, public business
may be conducted thereon.

new text begin (b) new text end Any agreement between a public employer and an employee organization citing
Veterans Day as the fourth Monday in October shall be amended to cite Veterans Day as
November 11.

new text begin (c) Any agreement between a public employer and an employee organization citing
"Christopher Columbus Day" or "Columbus Day" shall be amended to cite "Indigenous
Peoples Day."
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
new text end

new text begin In the next edition of Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules and the online publication
of Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules, the revisor of statutes shall change references
to "Christopher Columbus Day" or "Columbus Day" to "Indigenous Peoples Day" wherever
the phrases appear in Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end