Text of UT HB 487 (2025)

02-12 12:25 H.B. 487 1 Women Veterans Day Observance 2025 GENERAL SESSION STATE OF UTAH Chief Sponsor: Nicholeen P. Peck Senate Sponsor: 2 3 LONG TITLE 4 General Description: 5 This bill establishes Women Veterans Day as a commemorative period. 6 Highlighted Provisions: 7 This bill: 8 ▸ establishes June 12 as Women Veterans Day; 9 ▸ requires the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to coordinate activities, special 10 programs, and promotional information relating to Women Veterans Day; and 11 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes. 12 Money Appropriated in this Bill: 13 None 14 Other Special Clauses: 15 None 16 Utah Code Sections Affected: 17 AMENDS: 18 63G-1-401, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 377 19 20 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah: 21 Section 1. Section 63G-1-401 is amended to read: 22 63G-1-401 . Commemorative periods. 23 (1) As used in this section, "commemorative period" means a special observance declared 24 by the governor that annually recognizes and honors a culturally or historically 25 significant day, week, month, or other time period in the state. 26 (2)(a) The governor may declare a commemorative period by issuing a declaration. 27 (b) The governor shall maintain a list of all commemorative periods declared by the 28 governor. 29 (3)(a) The governor's declaration of a commemorative period expires the year 30 immediately following the day on which the governor issues the declaration. H.B. 487 H.B. 487 02-12 12:25 31 (b) Subsection (3)(a) does not prevent the governor from redeclaring a commemorative 32 period before or after the commemorative period expires. 33 (4) Notwithstanding Subsections (2) and (3), the following days shall be commemorated 34 annually: 35 (a) Utah History Day at the Capitol, on the Friday immediately following the fourth 36 Monday in January, to encourage citizens of the state, including students, to 37 participate in activities that recognize Utah's history; 38 (b) Day of Remembrance for Incarceration of Japanese Americans, on February 19, in 39 remembrance of the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II; 40 (c) Utah State Flag Day, on March 9; 41 (d) Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day, on March 29; 42 (e) Utah Railroad Workers Day, on May 10; 43 (f) Dandy-Walker Syndrome Awareness Day, on May 11; 44 (g) Armed Forces Day, on the third Saturday in May, in honor of men and women who 45 are serving or have served in the United States Armed Forces around the world in 46 defense of freedom; 47 (h) Women Veterans Day, on June 12, in recognition of the Women's Armed Forces 48 Integration Act of 1948, to: 49 (i) commemorate the right of biological women to serve as permanent, regular 50 members of the United States Armed Forces; and 51 (ii) honor the contributions and sacrifices of biological women who are serving or 52 have served in times of peace and war; 53 [(h)] (i) Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita Awareness Day, on June 30; 54 [(i)] (j) Navajo Code Talker Day, on August 14; 55 [(j)] (k) Rachael Runyan/Missing and Exploited Children's Day, on August 26, the 56 anniversary of the day three-year-old Rachael Runyan was kidnaped from a 57 playground in Sunset, Utah, to: 58 (i) encourage individuals to make child safety a priority; 59 (ii) remember the importance of continued efforts to reunite missing children with 60 their families; and 61 (iii) honor Rachael Runyan and all Utah children who have been abducted or 62 exploited; 63 [(k)] (l) September 11th Day of Remembrance, on September 11, in honor and 64 remembrance of the first responders and persons killed and injured in the terrorist - 2 - 02-12 12:25 H.B. 487 65 attacks on September 11, 2001; 66 [(l)] (m) Constitution Day, on September 17, to invite all Utah adults and Utah school 67 children to read directly from the United States Constitution and other primary 68 sources, and for students to be taught principles from the United States Constitution 69 that include federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers, popular 70 sovereignty, limited government, and the necessary and proper, commerce, and 71 supremacy clauses; 72 [(m)] (n) POW/MIA Recognition Day, on the third Friday in September; 73 [(n)] (o) Diwali, on the fifteenth day of the Hindu lunisolar month of Kartik, known as 74 Lakshmi puja, or the Hindu festival of lights; 75 [(o)] (p) Victims of Communism Memorial Day, on November 7; 76 [(p)] (q) Indigenous People Day, on the Monday immediately preceding Thanksgiving; 77 and 78 [(q)] (r) Bill of Rights Day, on December 15. 79 (5) The Department of Veterans and Military Affairs shall coordinate activities, special 80 programs, and promotional information to heighten public awareness and involvement 81 relating to Subsections (4)(g)[ and (m).] , (h), and (n). 82 (6) The month of April shall be commemorated annually as Clean Out the Medicine 83 Cabinet Month to: 84 (a) recognize the urgent need to make Utah homes and neighborhoods safe from 85 prescription medication abuse and poisonings by the proper home storage and 86 disposal of prescription and over-the-counter medications; and 87 (b) educate citizens about the permanent medication disposal sites in Utah listed on 88 useonlyasdirected.org that allow disposal throughout the year. 89 (7) The second full week of April shall be commemorated annually as Animal Care and 90 Control Appreciation Week to recognize and increase awareness within the community 91 of the services that animal care and control professionals provide. 92 (8) The first full week of May shall be commemorated annually as State Water Week to 93 recognize the importance of water conservation, quality, and supply in the state. 94 (9) The third full week of June shall be commemorated annually as Workplace Safety 95 Week to heighten public awareness regarding the importance of safety in the workplace. 96 (10) The second Friday and Saturday in August shall be commemorated annually as Utah 97 Fallen Heroes Days to: 98 (a) honor fallen heroes who, during service in the military or public safety, have - 3 - H.B. 487 02-12 12:25 99 sacrificed their lives to protect the country and the citizens of the state; and 100 (b) encourage political subdivisions to acknowledge and honor fallen heroes. 101 (11) The third full week in August shall be commemorated annually as Drowsy Driving 102 Awareness Week to: 103 (a) educate the public about the relationship between fatigue and driving performance; 104 and 105 (b) encourage the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Transportation to 106 recognize and promote educational efforts on the dangers of drowsy driving. 107 (12) The month of September shall be commemorated annually as American Founders and 108 Constitution Month to: 109 (a) encourage all civic, fraternal, and religious organizations, and public and private 110 educational institutions, to recognize and observe this occasion through appropriate 111 programs, teaching, meetings, services, or celebrations in which state, county, and 112 local governmental officials are invited to participate; and 113 (b) invite all Utah school children to read directly from the United States Constitution 114 and other primary sources, and to be taught principles from the United States 115 Constitution that include federalism, checks and balances, separation of powers, 116 popular sovereignty, limited government, and the necessary and proper, commerce, 117 and supremacy clauses. 118 (13) The third full week of September shall be commemorated annually as Gang Prevention 119 Awareness Week. 120 (14) The month of October shall be commemorated annually as Italian-American Heritage 121 Month. 122 (15) The month of November shall be commemorated annually as American Indian 123 Heritage Month. 124 (16) The first full week of December shall be commemorated annually as Avalanche 125 Awareness Week to: 126 (a) educate the public about avalanche awareness and safety; 127 (b) encourage collaborative efforts to decrease annual avalanche accidents and fatalities; 128 and 129 (c) honor Utah residents who have lost their lives in avalanches, including those who 130 lost their lives working to prevent avalanches. 131 Section 2. Effective Date. 132 This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025. - 4 -