Assigned to GOV                                                                                                          AS PASSED BY HOUSE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1802

Diné; indigenous code talkers; holiday

(NOW: holiday; code talkers)

Purpose

Establishes August 14 of each year as National Navajo Code Talkers Day, which is a legal holiday. Requires, if National Navajo Code Talkers Day falls on a day other than Sunday, the Sunday following August 14 to be observed as the holiday.

Background

            Statute outlines 16 legal state holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day. Public offices and courts are closed on legal holidays, except for certain authorized purposes. Statute also lists several other non-legal holidays, including Korean War Veterans' Day, Dr. Cesar Estrada Chavez Day and Prisoners of War Remembrance Day (A.R.S. Title 1, Chapter 3, Article 1). Public offices and courts of justice cannot be open on a legal holiday, except for certain authorized judicial reasons (A.R.S. § 1-302).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Establishes August 14 of each year as National Navajo Code Talkers Day, a legal holiday.

2. Requires, if National Navajo Code Talkers Day falls on a day other than Sunday, the Sunday following August 14 to be observed as the holiday.

3. Specifies that if National Navajo Code Talkers Day falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will not be observed as a holiday.

4. Makes technical and conforming changes.

5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole

1. Renames "National Diné and Indigenous Code Talkers Day" as "National Diné, Hopi and Indigenous Code Talkers Day".

2. Requires, if National Diné, Hopi and Indigenous Code Talkers Day falls on a day other than Sunday, the Sunday following August 14 to be observed as the holiday.

3. Makes a technical change. 

Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives

1. Renames "National Diné, Hopi and Indigenous Code Talkers Day" as "National Navajo Code Talkers Day".

Senate Action House Action

GOV               2/15/21      DP     7-0-1                    GE                 3/10/21       DP     13-0-0-0

3^rd Read          3/1/21                   29-0-1                  3^rd Read         3/18/21                 60-0-0

Prepared by Senate Research

March 18, 2021

MH/gs