Holidays and Days of Special Observance - As introduced, designates November 9 of each year as "Gold Star Father's Day," to honor and recognize fathers who have lost children in service to the United States as members of the United States armed forces. - Amends TCA Title 15, Chapter 2.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Richard Briggs

Designates November 9 as Gold Star Fathers Day to honor fathers who lost a child in military service; the day is ceremonial, not a paid holiday or new benefit.

Pub. Ch. 859

#holidaysanddaysofspecialobservance

Title and Purpose

Official Title: An Act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 15, Chapter 2, relative to "Gold Star Father's Day."

Primary purpose: Designate November 9 of each year as "Gold Star Father's Day" to honor and recognize fathers who have lost children in service to the United States as members of the U.S. armed forces.

Note: The designation is not a legal holiday under Tenn. Code Ann. § 15-1-101.

Key Provisions

New designation: November 9 each year shall be observed as "Gold Star Father's Day."

Scope of observance: Aimed at honoring and recognizing fathers who have lost children in military service, and to acknowledge the sacrifices of such families.

Limitation: Explicitly states the day shall not be considered a legal holiday as defined by law.

Affected Parties and Impact

Affected groups: Fathers who have lost children in service to the United States military, their families, and the broader Tennessee community that observes national days of remembrance.

Governmental impact: Fiscal note indicates no significant fiscal impact because the day is not a legal holiday and does not mandate state or local government actions or benefits.

Administrative impact: The designation is symbolic and ceremonial; no new programs or benefits are created by statute beyond the observance designation.

Legislative and Procedural Details

Introduction and sponsorship:

Senate Bill 2275 (Briggs) and House Bill 2438 (McKenzie) respond to a recognition pattern (similar observances in other states and by presidents).
Co-sponsor: Senator Richard Briggs.

Status and timeline (from action history):

Introduced and moved through committee processes in 2025-2026.
Passed the Senate and the House, with final approvals in April 2026.
Signed by the Speaker of the House and the Senate Speaker, and enrolled for signatures in April 2026.

Effective date: Upon becoming law; the act does not require the day to be a paid holiday or to trigger additional state actions.

Summary of Implications

The bill creates a ceremonial observance of Gold Star Fathers on November 9.

It recognizes and honors fathers who have endured the loss of a child in military service.

It does not authorize paid time off, create new benefits, or designate the day as a legal holiday.

No significant fiscal burden is anticipated for state or local governments.

If you’d like, I can provide a brief comparative note on how similar Gold Star observances operate in other states or at the federal level.

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