Subchapter I. Business Holidays.


  • Current through October 23, 2012
  • The following days in each year, namely, New Year's Day, January 1; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday, the third Monday in January; Washington's Birthday, the third Monday in February; District of Columbia Emancipation Day, April 16; Memorial Day, the last Monday in May; Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, the first Monday in September; Columbus Day, the second Monday in October; Veteran's Day, November 11; Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November; Christmas Day, December 25; every Saturday, after twelve o'clock noon; any day appointed by the President of the United States as a day of public feasting or thanksgiving; and the day of the inauguration of the President, in every fourth year, are holidays in the District for all purposes. When a day set apart as a legal holiday, other than the day of the inauguration of the President, falls on a Saturday, the next preceding day is a holiday. When a day set apart as a legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the next succeeding day is a holiday. In such cases, when a Sunday and a holiday or holidays fall on successive days, all commercial papers falling due on any of those days shall, for all purposes of presenting for payment or acceptance, be deemed to mature and be presentable for payment or acceptance on the next secular business day succeeding. Every Saturday is a holiday in the District for (1) every bank or banking institution having an office or banking house located within the District, (2) every Federal savings and loan association whose main office is in the District, and (3) every building association, building and loan association, or savings and loan association, incorporated or unincorporated, organized and operating under the laws of and having an office located within the District. An act which would otherwise be required, authorized, or permitted to be performed on Saturday in the District at the office or banking house of, or by, any such bank or bank institution, Federal savings and loan association, building association, building and loan association, or savings and loan association, if Saturday were not a holiday, shall or may be so performed on the next succeeding business day, and liability or loss of rights of any kind may not result from such delay.

    (Aug. 30, 1964, 78 Stat. 671, Pub. L. 88-509, § 1; Aug. 1, 1975, D.C. Law 1-11, § 103, 22 DCR 1804; July 12, 1977, D.C. Law 2-13, § 2, 24 DCR 1443; Mar. 16, 1982, D.C. Law 4-77, § 2, 29 DCR 46; Mar. 14, 1985, D.C. Law 5-155, § 3, 32 DCR 11; Apr. 7, 2006, D.C. Law 16-91, § 109, 52 DCR 10637.)

    HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES

    Prior Codifications

    1981 Ed., § 28-2701.

    1973 Ed., § 28-2701.

    Effect of Amendments

    D.C. Law 16-91, substituted "the third Monday in February; District of Columbia Emancipation Day, April 16;" for "the third Monday in February;".

    Legislative History of Laws

    Law 1-11, the "King Birthday Act of 1975," was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 1-2, which was referred to the Committee on Government Operations. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on April 15, 1975 and April 29, 1975, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on May 28, 1975, it was assigned Act No. 1-16 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.

    Law 2-13, the "Dr. King's Birthday Act of 1977," was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 2-35, which was referred to the Committee on Government Operations. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on March 22, 1977 and April 5, 1977, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on May 2, 1977, it was assigned Act No. 2-35 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.

    Law 4-77, the "District of Columbia Legal Holiday Clarification Act of 1981," was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 4-288, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 10, 1981, and November 24, 1981, respectively. Approved without the signature of the Mayor on December 15, 1981, it was assigned Act No. 4-125 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.

    Law 5-155, the "Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday Holiday Conformity Act of 1984," was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 5-322, which was referred to the Committee on Government Operations. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 7, 1984, and December 4, 1984, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 10, 1984, it was assigned Act No. 5-220 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.

    Law 16-91, the "Technical Amendments Act of 2005", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 16-477 which was referred to the Committee on the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 1, 2005, and November 15, 2005, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on November 30, 2005, it was assigned Act No. 16-212 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 16-91 became effective on April 7, 2006.

    Effective Dates

    Section 4(b) of D.C. Law 5-155 provides that §§ 2 and 3 of the act shall take effect January 1, 1986.