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Illinois House And Senate Approve Bill To Make Juneteenth A State Holiday

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- State lawmakers passed a bill to make Juneteenth an official state holiday.

June 19, also known as Emancipation Day, is the anniversary of when Black people in Texas learned they were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865.

RELATED: Juneteenth Officially Now Recognized Holiday In Cook County

A bill to make June 19 a holiday passed the Illinois House and Senate and now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk.

Should he sign it, it would take effect immediately.

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