Bill
S 2113
Governor annually proclaims Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday in October and urges schools to observe and honor Indigenous histories and resilience.
Status snapshot
- Bill filed in the Massachusetts Senate as Senate No. 2113 (Senate Docket No. 670), filed 01/14/2025.
- Sponsor/petitioner: Sen. Joanne M. Comerford, with co-petitioners Rebecca Rausch, Michael Barrett, Jason Lewis, James Eldridge, Julian Cyr, Patricia Jehlen.
- Referred to the committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. A public hearing was scheduled for 06/04/2025 (per docket).
- The printed replacement text is labeled as replacing existing section 12V of Chapter 6 of the General Laws.
Note on inconsistent metadata
- The packet you provided contains mixed metadata (references to federal senators and U.S. Senate committees and dates). This summary focuses on the bill text and Massachusetts legislative docket materials (Senate No. 2113) as provided.
Purpose and intent
- To establish an annual gubernatorial proclamation recognizing the second Monday in October as “Indigenous Peoples Day,” and to encourage appropriate observance across the Commonwealth — especially in schools — to acknowledge historic and ongoing impacts on Indigenous peoples and to honor their histories, contributions, cultures, resilience, and tribal nations.
Key provisions
- Replaces existing Section 12V of Chapter 6 of the Massachusetts General Laws with a new Section 12V that requires the Governor to:
- Annually issue a proclamation setting apart the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day; and
- Recommend that the day be observed by the public, including with appropriate exercises in schools and other settings.
- The proclamation language explicitly calls for acknowledgement of the history of genocide and discrimination against Indigenous peoples, honoring their contributions, and recognizing their thriving cultures, resistance, and resilience.
Who is affected
- State government: the Governor’s office would issue the annual proclamation as a matter of executive practice.
- Public schools and educational institutions: the bill recommends observance “with appropriate exercises in the schools,” encouraging curriculum or commemorative activities.
- The general public and tribal communities: the bill is primarily symbolic and ceremonial, aimed at recognition and public education.
Impact and limitations
- Symbolic/ceremonial effect: the bill creates a formal, recurring proclamation and a statewide recommendation to observe Indigenous Peoples Day.
- No explicit change to statutory state holidays, workforce leave, pay, or governmental closures is included in the text — it does not convert the day into a paid state holiday or change employment law.
- No direct budgetary appropriation or regulatory program is created.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Filed in the 194th General Court (2025–2026). Committee referral noted to State Administration and Regulatory Oversight; hearing scheduled for 06/04/2025 per docket entries. Further action (committee reports, floor votes, or enactment) would determine final adoption.
If you want, I can:
- Draft short suggested proclamation language based on the bill text, or
- Compare this proposal to prior-session proposals (e.g., S.1976 of 2023–24) or to how other states recognize Indigenous Peoples Day.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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