HB1162
To Establish Good Friday As An Official State Holiday.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill proposes to amend Arkansas Code § 1-5-101 to establish Good Friday as an official state holiday. Currently, the statute lists eleven official holidays for state government. If enacted, Good Friday, defined as the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday, would be added to this list. This amendment would increase the total number of paid holidays for state employees from eleven to twelve. The bill specifies that a holiday falling on a Saturday would be observed on the preceding Friday, and a holiday falling on a Sunday would be observed on the succeeding Monday. The Office of Personnel Management is tasked with implementing regulations to ensure state employees receive twelve paid holidays annually. The intent is to formally recognize Good Friday alongside other existing state holidays.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill would be state employees in Arkansas, who would gain an additional paid holiday. This would also benefit individuals and communities who observe Good Friday religiously or culturally, as the state government would formally recognize this day. Religious organizations and businesses that observe Good Friday may also see increased participation or support through this official state recognition.
Who Might Suffer?
The primary group negatively impacted by this bill would be the state government itself, due to the increased cost associated with providing an additional paid holiday to all state employees. This could potentially lead to increased operational expenses or a reallocation of funds. While not directly negatively impacted, businesses and organizations not observing Good Friday as a holiday might experience some indirect disruption if state services are reduced or unavailable on that day.