STATE OF LOUISIANA
DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA

General Circular No. 001518

To: Heads of State Agencies and Human Resource Directors

Subject: Proclamation of Holiday – January 20, 2003

Issue Date: January 7, 2003

There is quoted below for your information and guidance a proclamation issued on January 6th, 2003 by the Honorable M.J. "Mike" Foster, Jr., Governor of Louisiana

________________________________________________________________________

WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana acknowledges the important societal contributions made by those Americans who strove to obtain the equal and impartial treatment of all Americans without consideration of race, gender, age, religion, national origin, or political affiliation;

WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is esteemed for advocating the principle of equality of all persons and teaching social change should be accomplished through the peaceful communication of ideas and principles and that human beings should be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin; and

WHEREAS, in tribute to this great American teacher and leader, R.S. 1:55 (B)(2) authorizes the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday;

NOW THEREFORE I, M.J. "MIKE" FOSTER, JR., Governor of the state of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana, do hereby order and direct as follows:

SECTION 1: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s celebrated birthday, Monday, January 20, 2003, is declared a legal holiday in the state of Louisiana and shall be observed as a day of rest.

SECTION 2: Insofar as practicable, the appointing authorities and/or heads of all institutions, offices and departments of the state (hereafter "appointing authority") shall permit the officers and employees under their control to observe January 20, 2003, as a day of rest. Nonetheless, an appointing authority shall have discretion to require said officers or employees to work on the holiday when, in the appointing authority's judgment, it is required for the efficient administration of a state facility, the operation of which is necessary and indispensable to the citizens of the state.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand officially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the state of Louisiana, at the Capitol, in the city of Baton Rouge, on this 6th day of January, 2003.

s/M.J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.
GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA

s/Fox McKeithen
SECRETARY OF STATE

Sincerely,

Allen H. Reynolds
Director