Holidays

C.R.S. tit. 24, art. 11
in effect

C.R.S. § 24-11-101 Legal holidays - effect

24-11-101. Legal holidays - effect. (1) The following days, viz: The first day of January, commonly called New Year's day; the third Monday in January, which shall be observed as the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; the third Monday in February, commonly called Washington-Lincoln day; the last Monday in May, commonly called Memorial day; the nineteenth day of June, commonly called Juneteenth; the fourth day of July, commonly called Independence day; the first Monday in September, commonly called Labor day; the first Monday in October, commonly called Frances Xavier Cabrini day; the eleventh day of November, commonly called Veterans' day; the fourth Thursday in November, commonly called Thanksgiving day; the twenty-fifth day of December, commonly called Christmas day; and any day appointed or recommended by the governor of this state or the president of the United States as a day of fasting or prayer or thanksgiving, are hereby declared to be legal holidays and shall, for all purposes whatsoever, as regards the presenting for payment or acceptance and the protesting and giving notice of the dishonor of bills of exchange, drafts, bank checks, promissory notes, or other negotiable instruments and also for the holding of courts, be treated and considered as is the first day of the week commonly called Sunday. (2) In case any of said holidays or any other legal holiday so designated falls upon a Sunday, then the Monday following shall be considered as the holiday, and all notes, bills, drafts, checks, or other negotiable instruments falling due or maturing on either of said days shall be deemed to be payable on the next succeeding business day. In case the return or adjourned day in any suit, matter, or hearing before any court comes on any day referred to in this section, such suit, matter, or proceeding, commenced or adjourned as aforesaid, shall not, by reason of coming on any such day, abate, but the same shall stand continued to the next succeeding day at the same time and place, unless the next day is Sunday, when in such case the same shall stand continued to the next succeeding secular or business day at the same time and place. Nothing in this section shall prevent the issuing or serving of process on any of the days mentioned in this section or on Sunday. (3) The provisions of this section shall not operate to prohibit agencies in the executive branch of state government from doing business on any of the legal holidays named in this article. Employees under the jurisdiction of the state personnel system who are required to work on any of the legal holidays named in this article shall be granted an alternate day off in the same fiscal year or be paid in accordance with the state personnel system or state fiscal rules.

C.R.S. § 24-11-102 Additional holidays - effect

24-11-102. Additional holidays - effect. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 24-11-103 Saturday half holiday - effect

24-11-103. Saturday half holiday - effect. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 24-11-104 Arbor Day - tree planting

24-11-104. Arbor Day - tree planting. The third Friday in April of each year shall be set apart and known as "Arbor Day", to be observed by the people of this state in the planting of forest trees for the benefit and adornment of public and private grounds, places, and ways and in such other efforts and undertakings as shall be in harmony with the general character of the day so established.

C.R.S. § 24-11-105 Governor to issue proclamation

24-11-105. Governor to issue proclamation. Annually, at the proper season, the governor shall issue a proclamation calling the attention of the people to the provisions of section 24-11-104 and recommending and enjoining their due observance. The commissioner of education shall promote, by all proper means, the observance of the day.

C.R.S. § 24-11-108 Susan B

24-11-108. Susan B. Anthony Day. The fifteenth day of February in each year, the same being the anniversary of the birth of Susan B. Anthony, shall be known as "Susan B. Anthony Day" and may be observed in the public schools of the state by suitable study and classroom discussion which set forth the importance of the great contribution she made to the cause of freedom.

C.R.S. § 24-11-109 Leif Erikson Day

24-11-109. Leif Erikson Day. The ninth day of October in each year, the same being the anniversary of the discovery of North America in the year 1000 A.D. by Leif Erikson, shall be known as "Leif Erikson Day", and appropriate observance may be held in all public schools of the state in tribute to the discoverer of the North American continent.

C.R.S. § 24-11-110 Effect of closing public offices

24-11-110. Effect of closing public offices. If, on any day when the public office concerned is closed, or on a Saturday, any document is required to be filed with any public office of the state of Colorado, its departments, agencies, or institutions, or with any public office of any political subdivision of the state, or any appearance or return is required to be made at any such public office, or any official or employee of such public office is required to perform any act or any duty of his office, then any such filing, appearance, return, act, or duty so required or scheduled shall neither be abated nor defaulted, but the same shall stand continued to the next succeeding full business day at such public office at the same time and place.

C.R.S. § 24-11-111 Colorado Day

24-11-111. Colorado Day. On the first Monday of August in each year, commonly called "Colorado Day", appropriate observance may be held by the public in tribute to the anniversary of the 1876 admission of the state of Colorado into the United States of America.

C.R.S. § 24-11-112 Cesar Chavez Day

24-11-112. Cesar Chavez Day. (1) The thirty-first day of March in each year, the same being the anniversary of the birth of Cesar Estrada Chavez, shall be known as "Cesar Chavez Day" and appropriate observance may be held by the public and in all public schools of the state in tribute to his unselfish commitment to the principles of social justice and respect for human dignity. (2) The head of a state agency may allow an employee of the agency to have a day off with pay on Cesar Chavez day in lieu of any other legal holiday described in section 24-11-101 (1) that occurs in the same state fiscal year on a weekday, other than a weekday on which an election is held throughout the state, on which the state agency is required to be open but on which the operations of the agency are required to be maintained at only a minimum level. (3) On Cesar Chavez day, each state agency shall remain open and conduct the operations of the agency at no less than a minimum level. (4) A holiday allowed under this section is in lieu of a legal holiday described in section 24-11-101 (1). The total number of legal holidays in a state fiscal year available to an employee of a state agency is not changed by this section.

C.R.S. § 24-11-113 Public lands day

24-11-113. Public lands day. (1) The third Saturday in May in each year is known as "Public Lands Day", and appropriate observance may be held by the public and in all public schools of the state in tribute to the importance of public lands in the state. (2) Annually the governor shall issue a proclamation calling for the celebration of public lands day.

C.R.S. § 24-11-114 Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day

24-11-114. Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. The thirtieth day of March in each year is known as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day", and appropriate observance may be held by the public and in all public schools of the state in tribute to the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans.

C.R.S. § 24-11-115 Lunar New Year Day

24-11-115. Lunar New Year Day. The first Friday of February in each year is known as "Lunar New Year Day". Appropriate observance may be held by the public and in all public schools of the state.

C.R.S. § 24-11-116 Jury Appreciation Day

24-11-116. Jury Appreciation Day. (1) The fifth day of September in each year, the same being the anniversary of one of the most famous jury verdicts in United States history, is known as "Jury Appreciation Day". Appropriate observance by suitable means may be held by the public, by all jury commissioners, and in all public schools of the state to recognize the importance of jury service to the community, the importance of jury trials to the state, and the great contribution jury trials make to the cause of freedom. All efforts and undertakings in celebrating Jury Appreciation Day must be in harmony with the general character of the day so established. (2) Annually, the governor shall issue a proclamation calling for the recognition of Jury Appreciation Day. (3) On Jury Appreciation Day, each state agency shall remain staffed at a minimum level to conduct the usual operations of the agency. (4) A holiday allowed pursuant to this section is in lieu of a legal holiday described in section 24-11-101 (1). The total number of legal holidays in a state fiscal year available to an employee of a state agency is not changed by this section.

C.R.S. § 24-11-117 Women Veterans Appreciation Day - legislative declaration

24-11-117. Women Veterans Appreciation Day - legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that: (a) Throughout our nation's history, over three million women have volunteered to serve our country by providing military service to the United States of America. Women have courageously served and historically trailblazed throughout the years, including disguising themselves as male soldiers during the American revolution and civil war; serving in the United States Army nurse corps, signal corps, and in clerical positions during world war I when women did not have the right to vote; and serving as mechanics, clerical workers, truck drivers, ferry and shuttle pilots, and in air combat tactics during world war II. (b) There are currently over eight thousand five hundred Colorado women serving in the six branches of the armed forces and over forty-seven thousand Colorado women veterans. On March 1, 2013, the first female major general was chosen to be the superintendent of the United States Air Force academy, and in 2016, the United States Army enlisted a Colorado female into the infantry for the first time. In 2020, Governor Jared Polis appointed the first female adjutant general of Colorado. (c) There are currently twenty-one states and United States territories that recognize June 12 as a day to recognize women veterans, including Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, and Wisconsin; (d) Women veterans have long fought for equal recognition of their contributions to the safety and security of our nation; (e) After service, women veterans face higher rates of unemployment and homelessness than their male counterparts; (f) Women veterans, especially those with dependent children, face higher rates of poverty than their male counterparts; (g) Women veterans face rates of post-traumatic stress as much as three times higher than their male counterparts; (h) As many as one in twelve women are sexually assaulted while on active duty; (i) Women veterans die by suicide at six times the rate of their civilian counterparts; (j) Despite the disproportionate impacts that military service has had on the women who served, their needs have yet to be fully recognized by national, state, and local veterans service organizations; (k) Women veterans continue to be denied access to services otherwise available to their male counterparts, including access to shelters that accommodate women or their dependent children, reproductive and other health care services, mental health services specializing in sexual trauma, and other resources that recognize the challenges faced by women veterans; (l) Despite these sometimes overwhelming challenges, women continue to volunteer to serve and are the fastest growing segment of United States military and veteran populations; and (m) In order to honor the courage and sacrifice of women veterans, bring attention to the unique challenges they face, and affirm the state of Colorado's commitment to meeting the needs of our women veterans and their families, the general assembly finds it necessary to establish a women veterans appreciation day, and this day shall be used not only as an occasion to honor their service, but as an annual call to veterans organizations statewide to review their programs and work towards improving outcomes for women veterans. (2) The twelfth day of June in each year is known as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day", and appropriate observance may be held by the public and in all public schools of the state in tribute to the service and sacrifice of women veterans.

C.R.S. § 24-11-118 Living Organ Donor Recognition Day

24-11-118. Living Organ Donor Recognition Day. The eleventh day of April each year is known as "Living Organ Donor Recognition Day". Appropriate observance may be held by the public and in all public schools of the state.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-24.docxFetched: 10/6/2026

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