Nevada passes law to mark Juneteenth a state holiday

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - On Monday, the Nevada Legislature passed AB140 to mark Juneteenth as a state holiday.

The bill will either be signed or vetoed by Gov. Joe Lombardo.

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Juneteenth is the celebration of the abolition of slavery in the United States, after the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865.

The bill was amended to change the observance of Juneteenth to “the Monday following June 19 if it is a Sunday, or the Friday preceding June 19 if it is a Saturday.”

Currently, Nevada has 11 legal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, Washington’s birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day Nevada Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Family Day (Friday after Thanksgiving), and Christmas Day. Juneteenth Day would be the 12th legal holiday for the state of Nevada.

If signed, the bill would go into effect immediately.