A bill to establish Juneteenth as a state-recognized holiday was signed into law earlier this year, with an original effective date of August 1, 2023 (making the first observed holiday in 2024). As part of the state and local government omnibus bill passed at the end of the legislative session, the effective date was moved up to include Juneteenth as a state-observed holiday in 2023. 

The holiday is to recognize the date on which slavery was abolished in the United States. Public business cannot be conducted on June 19th in observance of the holiday, so city facilities will be closed to the extent reasonable. 

Non-represented Shakopee employees are subject to the Personnel Handbook, and represented groups are subject to their respective labor agreements. All of these documents need to be updated to incorporate Juneteenth into the holiday schedules, and each the labor groups have already agreed to the proposed language. Since this bill has already been passed, this action is simply to update contract language to be in compliance with state law. 

All employees have been notified that city facilities will be closed on June 19, 2023 in observation of Juneteenth, and employees will be compensated in the same manner that they are compensated for other holidays.

Each labor contract expires at the end of 2023 so this language is being incorporated as an MOU at this time, and contracts will be adjusted accordingly during the negotiation process.