SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2704

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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SENATE, February 17, 2022.

The committee on Rules, to whom was referred the Senate Bill designating July 8 as Massachusetts Emancipation Day a.k.a. Quock Walker Day (Senate, No. 2059),-- reports, that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session with an amendment substituting a new draft entitled “An Act designating July 8 as Massachusetts Emancipation Day, also known as Quock Walker Day" (Senate, No. 2704).

For the committee,

Joan B. Lovely

FILED ON: 2/16/2022

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2704

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

An Act designating July 8 as Massachusetts Emancipation Day, also known as Quock Walker Day.

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

Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 15MMMMMM the following section:-

Section 15NNNNNN. The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart July 8 as Massachusetts Emancipation Day, also known as Quock Walker Day, in recognition of  the significant contributions made by Quock Walker to abolish slavery in the commonwealth and the court cases, which came to be known as the Quock Walker Cases, that culminated with Chief Justice William Cushing of the supreme judicial court declaring that slavery was incompatible with the constitution of the commonwealth, and recommending that the day be observed in an appropriate manner by the people.