Juneteenth moves toward NH official holiday status, advancing in Senate
CONCORD — Those who have celebrated Juneteenth in New Hampshire might be surprised to learn it’s not an official state holiday.
Juneteenth has been a federal holiday since 2021. By the end of 2023, more than half of states recognized Juneteenth as an official public holiday. But in New Hampshire, it’s a day of observance, which means it's simply a day of awareness and celebration like Halloween or Earth Day.
Senate Bill 481, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, D-Portsmouth, would change that. The bill would establish June 19, Juneteenth, as an annual state holiday in New Hampshire. It was passed by the Senate by voice vote on Thursday.
“This bill would give Juneteenth proper status to reflect its significance to so many people across our state whose important history is now officially recognized,” Perkins Kwoka said.
She said the decision on whether the day would be a paid holiday off for state employees “would be determined during the next collective bargaining agreement," based on testimony the committee heard from Charlie Arlinghaus, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services.
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The bill will now go to third reading before heading to the House.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Juneteenth moves toward NH official holiday status
