“Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.” – Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (1689 – 1755)

Introduced in the Missouri General Assembly by Representative Rick Brattin (r) on January 23, 2013.

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 278

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES BRATTIN (Sponsor), RIDDLE, LICHTENEGGER, HANSEN, BAHR, KOENIG, WHITE, FRANKLIN, LOVE, BURLISON, PIKE, FREDERICK AND NEELY (Co-sponsors).

0507L.02I     D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To amend chapter 9, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to federal holidays.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

           Section A. Chapter 9, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 9.015, to read as follows:

           9.015. No state or local governmental entity, public building, public park, public school, or public setting or place shall ban or otherwise restrict the practice, mention, celebration, or discussion of any federal holiday.

[emphasis in original]

Seriously?

Federal Holidays

2013

Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) establishes the following public holidays for Federal employees….

Tuesday, January 1 New Year’s Day

Monday, January 21 Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Monday, February 18 * Washington’s Birthday

Monday, May 27 Memorial Day

Thursday, July 4 Independence Day

Monday, September 2 Labor Day

Monday, October 14 Columbus Day

Monday, November 11 Veterans Day

Thursday, November 28 Thanksgiving Day

Wednesday, December 25 Christmas Day

[….]

* This holiday is designated as “Washington’s Birthday” in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

Happy Chrismahanakwanzakah.

Previously:

HB 291: keping misooree stoopit (January 24, 2013)

HB 1109: because the contrived right wingnut “War on [the holiday season]” supersedes any sense (December 27, 2011)