PRINTER'S NO. 2975
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2096
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY JOHNSON-HARRELL, YOUNGBLOOD, SCHLOSSBERG, KINSEY,
KOSIEROWSKI, SHUSTERMAN AND CEPHAS, DECEMBER 2, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, DECEMBER 2, 2019
AN ACT
Amending the act of May 31, 1893 (P.L.188, No.138), entitled "An
act designating the days and half days to be observed as
legal holidays, and for the payment, acceptance and
protesting of bills, notes, drafts, checks and other
negotiable paper on such days," further providing for the
designation of legal holidays.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of the act of May 31, 1893 (P.L.188,
No.138), referred to as the Legal Holiday Law, is amended to
read:
Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the following days and
half days, namely: the first day of January, commonly called New
Year's Day, the third Monday of January, known as Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day, the third Monday of February, known as
Presidents' Day, Good Friday, the thirteenth or fourteenth day
of April, known as Vaisakhi, the first day of the full moon in
May, known as Vesak, the last Monday in May, known as Memorial
Day, the first day of the lunar month of Shawwal, known as Eid
al-Fitr, the fourteenth day of June, known as Flag Day, the
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fourth of July, called Independence Day, the first Monday of
September, known as Labor Day, Yom Kippur, the second Monday in
October, known as Columbus Day, the third day of the Diwali
Festival, which generally falls between mid-October and mid-
November and which marks the new moon day known as Amavasya, the
first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, Election Day,
the eleventh day of November, known as Veterans' Day, the fourth
Thursday in November, known as Thanksgiving Day, the twenty-
fifth day of December, known as Christmas Day, the twenty-sixth
day of December, which is the first day of the observance of
Kwanzaa; and every Saturday, after twelve o'clock noon until
twelve o'clock midnight, each of which Saturdays is hereby
designated a half holiday; and any day appointed or recommended
by the Governor of this State or the President of the United
States as a day of thanksgiving or fastings and prayer, or other
religious observance; and in the event of a financial crisis in
the State or Nation, any day or days appointed by the Governor
of this State or the President of the United States as a bank
holiday; and in the event of public calamity in any part of the
State through fire, flood, famine, violence, riot, insurrection,
or enemy action, any day or days appointed by the Governor of
this State as a bank holiday for banking institutions affected
by such public calamity shall, for all purposes whatever as
regards the presenting for payment or acceptance, and as regards
the protesting and giving notice of the dishonor of bills of
exchange, checks, drafts, and promissory notes, made after the
passage of this act, be treated and considered as the first day
of the week, commonly called Sunday, and as public holidays and
half holidays; and all such bills, checks, drafts, and notes
otherwise presentable for acceptance or payment on any of the
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said days, shall be deemed to be payable and be presentable for
acceptance or payment on the secular or business day next
succeeding such holiday or half holiday; except checks, drafts,
bills of exchange, and promissory notes, payable at sight or on
demand, which would otherwise be payable on any half holiday
Saturday, shall be deemed to be payable at or before twelve
o'clock noon of such half holiday: Provided, however, That for
the purpose of protesting or otherwise holding liable any party
to any bill of exchange, check, draft, or promissory note, and
which shall not have been paid before twelve o'clock noon of any
Saturday designated a half holiday as aforesaid, a demand for
acceptance or payment thereof shall not be made, and notice of
protest or dishonor thereof shall not be given, until the next
succeeding secular or business day: And provided further, That
when any person, firm, corporation or company shall, on any
Saturday designated a half holiday, receive for collection any
check, bill of exchange, draft, or promissory note, such person,
firm, corporation, or company shall not be deemed guilty of any
neglect or omission of duty, nor incur any liability, in not
presenting for payment or acceptance or collection such check,
bill of exchange, draft or promissory note, on that day: And
provided further, That, in construing this section, every
Saturday designated a half holiday shall, until twelve o'clock
noon, be deemed a secular or business day; and the days and half
days aforesaid, so designated as holidays and half holidays,
shall be considered as public holidays and half holidays for all
purposes whatsoever as regards the transaction of business,
except that any day or days appointed as a bank holiday shall be
regarded as secular or business days for all other purposes than
those mentioned in this act: And provided further, That nothing
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herein contained shall be construed to prevent or invalidate the
entry, issuance, service, or execution of any writ, summons,
confession of judgment, or other legal process whatever, on any
of the holidays or half holidays herein designated as holidays;
nor to prevent any banking institution from keeping its doors
open or transacting its business, on any Saturday afternoon, if
by a vote of its directors it shall elect to do so, unless such
Saturday is appointed as a bank holiday under the provisions of
this act: And provided further, That any banking institution
may, by a vote of its directors, or in the case of a private
bank by action of the private banker or bankers, notice of which
shall have been posted in its banking house for not less than
fifteen days before the taking effect thereof, observe any
Saturday throughout the year as a full holiday with like effect
hereunder as though such day had been designated as a full
holiday by the provisions of this act, and may in the same
manner, observe as a full holiday any Monday next following the
first day of January, the fourth day of July or the twenty-fifth
day of December whenever any of such holidays shall occur on a
Saturday with like effect hereunder as though such day had been
designated as a full holiday by the provisions of this act.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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