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HB 1162

TO ESTABLISH GOOD FRIDAY AS AN OFFICIAL STATE HOLIDAY.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Matt Duffield

HB 1162 sought to make Good Friday an official state holiday in Arkansas, granting state employees an additional paid holiday, but it did not advance in the legislature.

Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
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Bill Summary · HB 1162

Summary of House Bill 1162

Bill Number: HB 1162
Title: To Establish Good Friday as an Official State Holiday
Status: Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment
Introduced: January 16, 2025
Classification: Bill

Purpose and Intent

House Bill 1162 aimed to designate Good Friday, the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday, as an official state holiday in Arkansas. The intent of the bill was to recognize this day as a formal holiday for state government employees, aligning it with other established holidays.

Key Provisions

The bill proposed the following amendments to the Arkansas Code § 1-5-101 regarding official holidays:

  • Addition of Good Friday: The bill sought to include Good Friday in the list of official holidays, which would have made it the twelfth recognized holiday for state employees.

  • Revised Holiday List: The amended list of official holidays would have included:

    1. New Year's Day — January 1
    2. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday — the third Monday in January
    3. George Washington's Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day — the third Monday in February
    4. Good Friday — the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday
    5. Memorial Day — the last Monday in May
    6. Independence Day — July 4
    7. Labor Day — the first Monday in September
    8. Veterans Day — November 11
    9. Thanksgiving Day — the fourth Thursday in November
    10. Christmas Eve — December 24
    11. Christmas Day — December 25
    12. An employee's birthday — one holiday to observe the employee's birthday

  • Holiday Observance Rules: The bill reiterated that holidays falling on a Saturday would be observed on the preceding Friday, and those on a Sunday would be observed on the succeeding Monday.

  • Employee Entitlement: The bill emphasized that all state employees would be entitled to twelve paid holidays per year, with the Office of Personnel Management responsible for promulgating rules to ensure this entitlement.

Impact

If passed, HB 1162 would have affected state government employees by providing them with an additional paid holiday, thereby increasing the total number of official holidays from eleven to twelve. This change could have implications for state operations, employee scheduling, and public services on Good Friday.

Legislative Actions

  • January 16, 2025: The bill was filed and read for the first time. Rules were suspended, and it was read a second time before being referred to the Committee on State Agencies & Governmental Affairs - House.
  • May 5, 2025: The bill died in the House Committee at Sine Die adjournment, meaning it did not advance for further consideration or voting.

In summary, while HB 1162 aimed to establish Good Friday as an official state holiday, it ultimately did not progress through the legislative process.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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