HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4220        FILED ON: 10/20/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James J. Lyons, Jr., (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the Chinese New Year.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4220        FILED ON: 10/20/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to the Chinese New Year.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after clause Fifth B the following clause:-

Fifth C, “the Chinese New Year”,  February 8, 2016, January 28, 2017, February 16, 2018, February 5, 2019, January 25, 2020, February 12, 2021, February 1, 2022, January 22, 2023, February 10, 2024, January 29, 2025, February 17, 2026, February 6, 2027, January 26, 2028, February 13, 2029, February 3, 2030 and an annual date thereafter to be designated by the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York.

SECTION 2. Said section 7 of said chapter 4, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “February”, in line 98, the following words:- , the Chinese New Year.

SECTION 3. Section 13 of chapter 136 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

The provisions of sections 5 to 11, inclusive, shall, except as provided in section 14, apply to all legal holidays, except January first, the third Monday in January, the third Monday in February, the Chinese New Year, March seventeenth, the third Monday in April, May twentieth, June seventeenth, the second Monday in October after the hour of twelve noon, and November eleventh after one o'clock post meridian, or on the day following when any of said days occur on Sunday; provided, however, work shall be voluntary, except for healthcare and public safety personnel, on the Chinese New Year and refusal to work in any place of business or retail establishment on such date shall not be grounds for discrimination, dismissal, discharge, reduction in hours, or any other penalty.