CHAPTER 597
(House Bill 1167)

AN ACT concerning

Public School Holidays - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Presidents' Day

FOR the purpose of establishing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Presidents' Day as
a a public school holiday holidays holiday; repealing a provision of law requiring
a public school to devote part of the day to appropriate activities on Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day; and generally relating to public school holidays in the
State.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Education
Section 7-103(c)
Annotated Code of Maryland

(1997 Replacement Volume and 1998 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is honored by a federal holiday for his
civil rights accomplishments; and

WHEREAS, His legacy of love and nonviolence has become a tool of social and
human rights change; and

WHEREAS, Dr. King is an African American icon and a national and
international hero; and

WHEREAS, He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent approach
to the violent actions of white Americans in both the North and South; and

WHEREAS, Dr. King's legacy of love and nonviolence is the solution to many of
the problems that our nation faces in all areas of social interchange, including
education; and

WHEREAS, Our nation has seen the wisdom of his anti-Vietnam War efforts;

and

WHEREAS, Dr. King gave his life in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968 in
pursuit of justice for refuse workers; and

WHEREAS, The entire world lamented Dr. King's untimely death; now,
therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: