Juneteenth is a state holiday, but Lafayette government workers may not get the day off

Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the end of chattel slavery in the United States, will be a state and federal holiday next year, but Lafayette Consolidated Government won't be closing to observe it unless Lafayette's city and parish councils change the administration's plans.

Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana State Legislature codified Juneteenth as an official state holiday, on par with Memorial Day and Thanksgiving, during the 2021 legislative session, directing state offices to close on the Friday before the third Saturday in June each year in honor of the celebration. The same year, President Joseph Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

While the federal holiday means closures for most banks and federal agencies, and the state holiday closes state departments and courts, neither requires LCG to close its doors in observance of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth in Lafayette:Lincoln’s 'laboratory': How emancipation spread across South Louisiana during Civil War

CONSIDER SUBSCRIBING TODAY: Help support local journalists like Andrew Capps

That was the case this past June, as LCG's annual holiday schedule was never updated to include Juneteenth, and it may be the case in June 2023, as LCG's latest proposed holiday schedule from Mayor-President Josh Guillory's administration again leaves Juneteenth out.

LCG spokesperson Jamie Angelle said in a message Friday that the local government does not observe many federal holidays, including Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and Presidents Day.

"In lieu of those holidays, we have one for Mardi Gras, the day after Thanksgiving (Acadian Day), and a half-day on Christmas Eve. Many other organizations do the same," Angelle said.

But that may change as Lafayette's city and parish councils vote on next year's holiday schedule for LCG at their meetings on Tuesday.

City Councilman Glenn Lazard, one of three Black councilmen among the 10 combined members of the councils, said he expected Juneteenth to be included LCG's holiday schedule for 2023 and that he plans to offer an amendment to include it at Tuesday's meeting.

"I thought it was going to be on there, I most certainly did. And the thing about it is, it makes no sense," Lazard said.

"It's a state holiday. It's a national holiday," he added.

The amendment would need support from three members of each council to add Juneteenth to the city-parish government's list of observed holidays. Because it is a resolution, the measure would not be subject to a potential veto by Guillory.

The councils will cast separate votes on the matter during their meetings Tuesday as the Parish Council convenes at City-Parish Hall at 4:30 p.m. and the City Council begins its meeting there at 5:30 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Juneteenth left out of Lafayette government holidays, councils may add