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MLK Day measure awaits enactment
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Posted on Mar 09 2006
The Senate passed yesterday a House bill that would establish a Martin Luther King Day in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 15-37, authored by Rep. Jacinta Kaipat, now goes to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial for action.
The measure would make Martin Luther King Day—commemorated on the third Monday of January—a legal holiday in the Northern Marianas. It would scrap President’s Day and rename Columbus Day as Commonwealth Cultural Day.
The CNMI used to observe the birthday of the civil rights leader as a legal holiday. But this stopped after the enactment of Public Law 5-14.
“Considering the importance of Dr. King’s contributions to society, it is the intent of this bill to restore the legal holiday in the Commonwealth in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s principles and contributions to society,” a portion of the bill read.
“The Legislature further finds the Commonwealth is comprised of numerous diverse cultures of peoples. In order to promote unity and enhance awareness of other cultures; to encourage appreciation of commonality and respect of the differences; to foster harmony amongst the many cultures that enrich our community; and to protect these cultures that would result in enhancing and accepting our true ‘common wealth,’” it added.
Currently, the Commonwealth has 14 legal holidays: New Year’s Day, Commonwealth Day, President’s Day, Covenant Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day,
Independence/Liberation Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Citizenship Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Constitution Day, and Christmas Day.
Two years ago, the 14th Legislature also passed a Senate bill abolishing both the President’s Day and Columbus Day and replacing them with Martin Luther King and Cultural Day.
But then acting Gov. Diego T. Benavente vetoed the bill, saying that U.S. presidents have profound contributions to American democracy. Benavente urged the 14th Legislature to preserve the President’s Day and establish the Martin Luther King’s Day by adopting a substitute legislation submitted by the Office of the Governor.
