CITY OF OAKLAND MEMORANDUM
Date: June 16, 2022
To: City Council and Members of the Public
From: Councilmember Treva Reid
Re: ADOPT A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLY BILL - 1655 (JONES-SAWYER, MIA BONTA, AND AKILAH WEBER), WHICH WOULD ADD JUNE 19, KNOWN AS “JUNETEENTH,” TO THE LIST OF STATE HOLIDAYS AND WOULD AUTHORIZE STATE
EMPLOYEES TO ELECT TO TAKE TIME OFF WITH PAY IN RECOGNITION OF
JUNETEENTH, AS SPECIFIED
Dear City Council Colleagues and Members of the Public,
My office is proud to bring forth this Resolution in support of AB 1655, a bill that would recognize “Juneteenth,” or June 19th, as a paid state holiday.
On June 16th, 2021 Congress passed legislation establishing June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, a US federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Juneteenth is a paid state holiday in nine states, including Texas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Oregon, and Illinois.
AB 1655 would amend current statutes to include June 19th as an official state holiday for public schools, community colleges, and California State University systems. It would also extend to the University of California systems and grant paid time-off to all state employees.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the Emancipa tion Proclamation issued by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, freeing enslaved African Americans in secessionist states. However, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, would not learn of their freedom until two years later on June 19th, 1865.
I respectfully request the Oakland City Council adopt this Resolution, endorse AB 1655 and urge the California State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom to support its enactment into law.
Yours in Service,
Treva Reid
Councilmember, District 7