National Blood Donor Month; designate January as in State of Mississippi., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representatives Carpenter, Harris, Morgan

House Bill 641

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 3-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO
DESIGNATE THE MONTH OF JANUARY IN MISSISSIPPI AS NATIONAL BLOOD DONOR MONTH;
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, more than 55 years
ago, January was designated as National Blood Donor Month, as an annual
observance to honor voluntary blood donors and encourage more people to donate
blood at a time when blood supplies are historically low; and

WHEREAS, Vitalant has been
serving the community with the collection and distribution of lifesaving blood
and blood products to patients for more than 85 years; and

WHEREAS, in our communities,
the need for a diverse blood supply is constant, but the supply is not, making
volunteer blood donors the foundation for ensuring a safe and stable supply of
blood available to help meet the medical needs of patients; and

WHEREAS, a blood transfusion
occurs in the United States every two seconds, but only 3% of the age-eligible
population donates blood; and

WHEREAS, type O blood is
often used in trauma situations, making it the most needed blood type and most
likely to be in short supply during a blood emergency; and

WHEREAS, patients requiring
blood transfusions include cancer patients, accident, burn, and trauma victims,
newborn babies and their mothers, transplant recipients, surgery patients,
chronically transfused patients suffering from sickle cell disease or
thalassemia, and many more; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature of
the State of Mississippi hereby recognizes the month of January as National
Blood Donor Month in the State of Mississippi, and urge all citizens to
celebrate the cause of blood donation and recognize volunteer blood donors for
their generous gifts, and we further urge all eligible blood donors to donate
regularly, and encourage businesses and organizations throughout the State of
Mississippi to sponsor community-based blood drives with Vitalant, among other
blood centers, and provide citizens of our state with the opportunity to give;
NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1.  Section 3-3-7,
Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

3-3-7.  (1)
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, the following
are declared to be legal holidays, viz:  the first day of January (New Year's
Day); the third Monday of January (Robert E. Lee's birthday and Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.'s birthday); the third Monday of February (Washington's
birthday); the last Monday of April (Confederate Memorial Day); the last Monday
of May (National Memorial Day and Jefferson Davis' birthday); the fourth day of
July (Independence Day); the first Monday of September (Labor Day); the
eleventh day of November (Armistice or Veterans' Day); the day fixed by
proclamation by the Governor of Mississippi as a day of Thanksgiving, which
shall be fixed to correspond to the date proclaimed by the President of the
United States (Thanksgiving Day); and the twenty-fifth day of December
(Christmas Day).  In the event any holiday hereinbefore declared legal shall
fall on Sunday, then the next following day shall be a legal holiday.

(2)  In lieu of any one (1)
legal holiday provided for in subsection (1) of this section, with the
exception of the third Monday in January (Robert E. Lee's and Martin Luther
King, Jr.'s birthday) and the eleventh day of November (Armistice or Veterans'
Day), the governing authorities of any municipality or county may declare, by
order spread upon its minutes, Mardi Gras Day or any one (1) other day during
the year, to be a legal holiday.

(3)  August 16 is declared
to be Elvis Aaron Presley Day in recognition and appreciation of Elvis Aaron
Presley's many contributions, international recognition and the rich legacy
left to us by Elvis Aaron Presley.  This day shall be a day of recognition and
observation and shall not be recognized as a legal holiday.

(4)  May 8 is declared to be
Hernando de Soto Day in recognition, observation and commemoration of Hernando
de Soto, who led the first and most imposing expedition ever made by Europeans
into the wilds of North America and the State of Mississippi, and in further
recognition of the Spanish explorer's 187-day journey from the Tombigbee River
basin on our state's eastern boundary, westward to the place of discovery of
the Mississippi River on May 8, 1541.  This day shall be a day of
commemoration, recognition and observation of Hernando de Soto and European
exploration and shall not be recognized as a legal holiday.

(5)  Armistice Day
(Veterans' Day) shall be observed by appropriate exercises in all the public
schools in the State of Mississippi.  The superintendent of schools of each
public school district is authorized to provide for the appearance of uniformed
military personnel, uniformed veterans or the families of fallen military
personnel/veterans at such public school exercises in honor of Armistice
(Veterans') Day.  The superintendent of schools is also authorized to permit
the school band and its director(s) at any public school in the district to
perform at Armistice (Veterans') Day exercises in the school district upon the
request of public officials or veterans associations without loss of any program
credit by participating students and without loss of leave by participating
school personnel.

(6)  The month of March is
declared to be "Mississippi Musicians Month" to recognize and
celebrate the state's rich musical heritage and to encourage the world to join
Mississippi in honoring our musicians and their contributions.

(7)  In recognition of the
service, courage and sacrifice of the valiant service members of the Tuskegee
Airmen who served during World War II, the fourth Thursday of March is designated
as Tuskegee Airmen Day in Mississippi.  This should be a day of recognition and
observation and shall not be recognized as a legal holiday.

(8)  The month of January
is declared to be National Blood Donor Month as an annual observance to
honor voluntary blood donors, and encourage more people to donate blood at a
time when blood supplies are historically low.

SECTION 2.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.