Legal holidays; designate June 19 as Juneteenth Freedom Day.

HB 471 designates June 19 as "Juneteenth Freedom Day" in Mississippi, adding it as an official state legal holiday. This bill amends Mississippi Code Section 3-3-7 to include June 19 alongside other recognized holidays like Independence Day and Christmas. It directly affects state government operations, meaning state offices and agencies will close on this day, though it does not require private businesses to observe it. The bill cites June 19, 1865, as the date enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom following the Emancipation Proclamation, emphasizing the day's historical significance in commemorating the end of slavery.