S.B. 322: FIRST ANALYSIS - ROSA L. PARKS DAY

Senate Bill 322 (as enrolled)

Committee: Local, Urban and State Affairs

Date Completed: 4-23-97

RATIONALE

Detroit resident Rosa L. Parks is renowned as the African-American civil rights activist whose refusal to relinquish her seat on a public bus to a white man precipitated the 1955 bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. Mrs. Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, for violating Montgomery's segregated seating law, resulting in a 381-day boycott of Montgomery's bus system by the city's African-American community. The boycott ended December 20, 1956, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Montgomery's segregated seating law was unconstitutional. According to many, Mrs. Parks's simple act against racial injustice ignited the civil rights movement in this country. Many people believe that a day should be designated to honor Mrs. Parks for her courage in the past to challenge segregation and racial discrimination as well as for her continued efforts to promote racial harmony.

CONTENT

The bill would create a new act to designate the first Monday following February 4 each year as "Mrs. Rosa L. Parks day".

The bill specifies that, "The legislature recognizes the outstanding contributions to American life, history, and culture made by Mrs. Rosa L. Parks, a woman of great courage, vision, love, and faith, who for decades has resided in our great state and continues to serve the state of Michigan and her country by actively laboring to achieve equality for all." Under the bill, the day, as specified above, would be known as "Mrs. Rosa L. Parks day", in commemoration of the significant role Mrs. Parks played in the history of the State and the nation.

The bill also specifies that, "The legislature encourages individuals, educational institutions, and social, community, religious, labor, and business organizations to pause on Mrs. Rosa L. Parks day and reflect on the significance of Mrs. Rosa L. Park's love and important contributions to the history of the State of Michigan and to the history of this great nation."

ARGUMENTS

(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)

Supporting Argument

Mrs. Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, but Mrs. Parks, her husband, and her mother moved to Detroit in 1957. For the past 40 years, Mrs. Parks has been a resident of Michigan where she remains active in the civil rights movement. Under the bill, the first Monday following February 4 would be designated "Mrs. Rosa L. Parks day" in Michigan, her adopted state. It is believed that Michigan would be the first state in the nation to establish a day in honor of Mrs. Parks. Under the bill, individuals, educational institutions, and various organizations would be encouraged to pause and reflect on Mrs. Parks's contributions to the State and nation. By designating the first Monday following Mrs. Parks's birthday as the day to honor the civil rights leader, the bill should generate discussion and study, especially in the schools across the State, about her pioneering efforts in the civil rights movement. The bill's proponents also note that since 1974 Michigan has observed a public holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the slain civil rights leader. Originally the second Sunday in January, the holiday was changed in 1977 to the "Monday most contiguous" to January 15, Dr. King's birthday. When Congress in 1983 established the third Monday in January as a national holiday honoring Dr. King, the State's designation was brought into conformity. If a day were designated to honor Mrs. Parks, it would be one of a number of days in the State established to honor certain individuals or groups. For example, the State has designated March 18 as grandparents' and grandchildren's day, October 11 as Casimir Pulaski Day, the fourth Friday in September as Michigan Indian Day, May 29 as John Fitzgerald Kennedy Day, and the first Sunday in August as American family day.

- Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

- Fiscal Analyst: B. Bowerman

A9798\S322A

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.