--- title: HB 366. State holidays; Heritage and Freedom Flag of the Former Republic of Vietnam Day; designate April 29 of each year collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb366 cite_as: HB 366, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb366 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb366.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb366/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70128 date: 2025-02-12 status: introduced corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb365.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb367.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 129 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb366.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 366 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-02-10 last_action: House Second Readers sponsors: - Long Tran - Al Williams - Bill Hitchens - Floyd Griffin - Matt Reeves text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB366/2025 upstream_id: 1964537 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - state holidays - Vietnamese American heritage - Georgia history - cultural observances --- # HB 366. State holidays; Heritage and Freedom Flag of the Former Republic of Vietnam Day; designate April 29 of each year ## Text House Bill 366 By: Representatives Tran of the 80th, Williams of the 168th, Hitchens of the 161st, Griffin of the 149th, and Reeves of the 99th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to holidays and observances, so as to designate April 29 of each year as "Heritage and Freedom Flag of the Former Republic of Vietnam Day" in Georgia; to provide legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. The General Assembly finds that: (1) The Former Republic of Vietnam was an ally of the United States of America during the Vietnam War; (2) South Vietnamese fled their homeland during the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, many of those families making their home in this state; (3) Since the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnamese Americans have contributed in ways that affect all aspects of life in Georgia, including working as teachers, doctors, farmers, small business owners, athletes, engineers, religious leaders, attorneys, and more; (4) As it is important for future generations to understand the history of service between the United States of America and South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, it is important to recognize and honor the Vietnamese community in Georgia; and (5) It is, therefore, abundantly fitting and proper that the State of Georgia appropriately recognize and celebrate Vietnamese culture and tradition by designating April 29 of each year as "Heritage and Freedom Flag of the Former Republic of Vietnam Day" in Georgia. SECTION 2. Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to holidays and observances, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "1-4-27. (a) April 29 of each year is designated as 'Heritage and Freedom Flag of the Former Republic of Vietnam Day' in Georgia." SECTION 3. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. House Bill 366 would create a new Georgia state observance, designating April 29 each year as 'Heritage and Freedom Flag of the Former Republic of Vietnam Day' to honor South Vietnam and Vietnamese Americans in Georgia. ### Plain-language summary This bill adds a new section to Georgia's holidays and observances law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 4 of Title 1) creating a day of recognition rather than a paid state holiday. It designates April 29 of each year as 'Heritage and Freedom Flag of the Former Republic of Vietnam Day.' The bill's findings explain the purpose: the Former Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) was a US ally during the Vietnam War, and many South Vietnamese families fled after the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975 and settled in Georgia. The findings note the contributions of Vietnamese Americans across Georgia life, including as teachers, doctors, farmers, business owners, and professionals. The new law would add a single Code section, 1-4-27, stating the designation. It does not create a paid holiday, close government offices, or attach any funding or enforcement mechanism. ### What it does - Adds a new Code section (1-4-27) to Georgia law designating April 29 of each year as 'Heritage and Freedom Flag of the Former Republic of Vietnam Day.' - States legislative findings recognizing South Vietnam's alliance with the United States and the history of Vietnamese refugees settling in Georgia after 1975. - Creates a symbolic day of observance rather than a paid state holiday, with no office closures or funding attached. - Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this designation. ### Who it affects Vietnamese American communities in Georgia, particularly those with ties to South Vietnam and the post-1975 refugee experience, and the state government, which would formally recognize the observance under Georgia law each year on April 29. ### Why it matters The bill gives official state recognition to a specific date tied to Vietnamese American history in Georgia, which could support community events, school or civic acknowledgments, and public awareness, though it carries no legal requirements, funding, or day off from work. ### Key provisions - Section 1 lays out legislative findings about South Vietnam's alliance with the US, the 1975 fall of Saigon, and Vietnamese American contributions to Georgia. - Section 2 amends Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated by adding new Code section 1-4-27, which designates April 29 as the observance day. - Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision with no substantive effect here. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-02-10) - Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-12) - Sponsors: Long Tran, Al Williams, Bill Hitchens, Floyd Griffin, Matt Reeves - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70128 > The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb366.md?full=1