GCA Title 1, Chapter 10
1 GCA GENERAL PROVISIONS CH. 10 HOLIDAYS, FESTIVITIES, TIME, ETC.
CHAPTER 10 HOLIDAYS, FESTIVITIES, TIME, ETC.
SOURCE: Title 1, in its entirety, was added to the GCA by P.L. 15-104:1 (Mar. 5, 1980). The original enactment of Title 1 was a separate attachment to P.L. 15-104 and included Legislative History and Compiler Comments. The source of this Chapter is Government Code, Chapter 3. 2024 NOTE: Pursuant to 5 GCA § 1510, I Maga’hågan/Maga’låhen Guåhan means the ‘Governor of Guam’ and I Maga’håga/Maga’låhi means the ‘Governor.’ Pursuant to 5 GCA § 1510, I Sigundo Maga’hågan/Maga’låhen Guåhan means the ’ Lieutenant Governor of Guam.’ Pursuant to 2 GCA § 1101, I Liheslaturan Guåhan means the ‘Guam Legislature’ and I Liheslatura means the ’ Legislature. ’ NOTE: The Source notes have been updated to reflect subsequent changes to each provision, and the original Legislative History can be found in the attachment to P.L. 15-104. The original Compiler Comments, as found in the attachment to P.L. 15-104, have been retained in this Chapter. COMPILER’S COMMENT : This Chapter follows existing law very closely. What has been done is to reconcile the various amendments, additions and deletions which have been made to Chapter 3 of Title 1 of the Government Code of Guam. Over the years there have been a number of sections of Chapter 3 of the Government Code which have been duplicated, but not repealed and sections which have not been amended to coincide with amendments made elsewhere in the law. These have been corrected in this Chapter of the Guam Codes Annotated.
- § 1000. Holidays.
- § 1001. Holidays Falling on Weekends. [Repealed.]
- § 1002. Transaction of Public Business on Saturday.
- § 1003. Special or Limited Holidays; Transaction of Business on.
- § 1004. Certain Acts Need Not Be Done on Holidays.
- § 1005. Calendar.
- § 1006. Leap Years.
- § 1007. Year and Its Parts.
- § 1008. Month, Week, Day Defined.
- § 1009. Money of Account.
- § 1010. Standard Time.
- § 1011. Liberation Day.
- § 1012. Guam Island Fair.
- § 1013. Guam Island Fair Committee.
- § 1013.1. Liberation Day Carnival.
- § 1013.2. Applicability.
- § 1013.3. Effective Date
- § 1013.4. Punishment for Obstruction.
- § 1013.5. Definition of Obstruction.
- § 1013.6. Financial Reporting and Accountability.
- § 1013.7. Broadcast Privilege.
- § 1014. Guam Youth Month.
- § 1015. Teachers’ Appreciation Day.
- § 1016. Farmers’ Appreciation Days.
- § 1017. Gubernatorial Inauguration Day.
- § 1018. Legislative Inauguration.
- § 1019. Gold Star Mothers’ Day.
- § 1020. Earth Week.
- § 1021. Atbot de Fuego (Flame Tree) and Arbor Day Week.
- § 1022. Guam Flower.
- § 1023. Guam Bird.
- § 1024. Guam Tree.
- § 1025. Guam History and CHamoru Heritage Day.
- § 1026. Guam Liberation Day Fishing and Sporting Events.
- § 1027. White Cane Days.
- § 1028. Children and Youth Sunday.
- § 1029. Family Sunday.
- § 1030. Municipal Flowers.
- § 1031. Municipal Flag.
- § 1032. Senior Citizens Month.
- § 1033. Guam-Micronesia Island Fair and Guam Ko’Ko’ Road Race.
- § 1033.1. Guam National Guard Day.
- § 1034. Adoption of Guam Hymn.
- § 1035. Family Violence Prevention Week.
- § 1036. Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
- § 1037. War Survivor Remembrance Day.
- § 1038. Peace Officers Memorial Day.
- § 1039. Ha ‘ånen I Manmanachu Siha Put I Taotao Tåno’ .
- § 1040. Women Veterans Recognition Day.
- § 1041. Ha’ å nen Hila’ N åna (Mother Language Day)
- § 1042. Veterans Service Recognition Month.
§ 1000. Holidays.
- (a) The holidays of Guam are:
- New Year’s Day;
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the third Monday in January;
- Guam History and CHamoru Heritage Day, the first Monday in March;
- Memorial Day, the last Monday in May;
- Independence Day, July 4th;
- Liberation Day, July 21st;
- Labor Day, the first Monday in September;
- All Souls’ Day, November 2;
- Veterans’ Day, November 11;
- Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday in November;
- Our Lady of Camarin Day, December 8; and
- Christmas, December 25th. (b) Whenever a holiday listed in Subsection (a) of this Section falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the government of Guam shall follow the Federal government’s practice for that holiday. (c) In addition to the holidays specified in Subsection (a) of this Section, I Maga’hågan/Maga’låhen Guåhan may declare by Executive Order additional non-permanent holidays for special purposes. No holiday declared by Executive Order shall be continued beyond the year in which the Executive Order is issued.
1 GCA GENERAL PROVISIONS
CH. 10 HOLIDAYS, FESTIVITIES, TIME, ETC.
1 GCA GENERAL PROVISIONS CH. 10 HOLIDAYS, FESTIVITIES, TIME, ETC.
SOURCE: GC § 200, amended by P.L. 14-117:9 (Apr. 6, 1978). Repealed and reenacted by P.L. 21-146:6 (Jan. 12, 1993) and P.L. 26-157:5 (Dec. 15, 2002). Subsection (c) added by P.L. 27-106:VI:32 (Sept. 30, 2004). Subsection (b) amended by P.L. 27-153:2 (Dec. 30, 2004). Subsection (a) amended by P.L. 29-066:1 (Apr. 25, 2008), P.L. 32-145:1 (Apr. 28, 2014), P.L. 38-030:2 (June 17, 2025). 2014 NOTE: Subsection designations were added in subsection (a) to adhere to the Compiler’s alpha -numeric scheme in accordance to the authority granted by 1 GCA § 1606.
§ 1001. Holidays Falling on Weekends.
[Repealed.] SOURCE: GC § 201, amended by P.L. 15-105:2 (Mar. 5, 1980); further amended by P.L. 16-069:3 (Mar. 10, 1982). Repealed by P.L. 26-157:7 Dec. 15, 2002).
§ 1002. Transaction of Public Business on Saturday.
Every Saturday is a holiday as regards the transaction of business in the public offices of the government where laws or other regulations provide that public offices be closed on holidays. This Section shall not be construed to prevent or invalidate the issuance, filing, service, execution, or recording of any legal process or written instrument during such period. SOURCE: GC § 202.
§ 1003. Special or Limited Holidays; Transaction of Business on.
(a) A Special or Limited Holiday is a holiday applying only to a special class or classes of business, or a special class or classes of persons, and not appointed to be generally observed throughout Guam by all classes of business and all classes of persons. (b) On any Special or Limited Holiday appointed by the President of the United States or I Maga’hågan/Maga’låhen Guåhan , all courts and offices of the government shall be open and function in their normal and usual manner. All other public functions shall be performed as on days which are not holidays, and all contracts shall be performed and business transacted as usual, except only as to or by the particular class of business or persons expressly limited or restricted by the provisions of the proclamation appointing or declaring such special or limited holiday. SOURCE : GC § 203, omitting references to political subdivisions and municipalities, as Guam has no political subdivisions or municipalities which are separate political entities. 2024 NOTE: Subsection designations added pursuant to authority granted by 1 GCA § 1606. Reference to the ‘Governor of Guam’ replaced with I Maga’hågan/Maga’låhen Guåhan pursuant to 5 GCA § 1510. Reference to ’ T erritory’ replaced with ‘Guam’ pursuant to 1 GCA § 420.
§ 1004. Certain Acts Need Not Be Done on Holidays.
Whenever any act of a secular nature, other than a work of necessity or mercy, is appointed by law or contract upon a particular day which falls on a holiday, such act may be performed upon the next business day with the same effect as if it had been performed upon the day appointed. SOURCE: GC § 204; CCP § 13; CC § 11.
§ 1005. Calendar.
Time is computed according to the Gregorian or new style, and January 1st in every year is reckoned as the first day of the year. SOURCE: GC § 206.
§ 1006. Leap Years.
The years 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300, or any other future hundredth year, of which the year 2000 is the first, except only every fourth hundredth year, are not leap years, but common years of 365 days. The years 2000, 2400, 2800 and every other fourth hundredth year after 2000 and every fourth year, except as provided in this Section, which, by usage in Guam is considered a leap year, is a leap year consisting of 366 days. SOURCE: GC § 207. 2024 NOTE: Reference to ’ T erritory’ replaced with ‘Guam’ pursuant to 1 GCA § 420.
§ 1007. Year and Its Parts.
- (a) ‘Year’ means a period of 365 days;
- (b) ‘Half year’ means a period of 182 days; and
- (c) ‘Quarter year’ means 91 days.
- (d) The added day of a leap year, and the day immediately preceding, if they occur in any such period, shall be reckoned together as one day. SOURCE: GC § 208. 2025 NOTE: Subsection designations added pursuant to authority granted by 1 GCA § 1606.
§ 1008. Month, Week and Day Defined.
- (a) ‘Month’ means a calendar month unless otherwise expressed.
- (b) A ‘week’ consists of seven consecutive days.
- (c) A ’ day ’ is the period of time between any midnight and the midnight following.
- (d) ’ Midnight ’ of any given day is 12:00 post meridian (p.m.), the end of the day. SOURCE: GC §§ 209, 210, 211 and 1100.1. 2025 NOTE: Subsection designations added pursuant to authority granted by 1 GCA § 1606. COMPILER’S COMMENT: Sections 209-211 were a part of the original Government Code. In 1959 the Legislature saw fit to add the definition of ‘midnight’ of a given day in reference to the Governor’s action on legislation. There is no good reason why such a definition should not be made uniform throughout the whole Code, and is therefore placed in this Chapter. Thus, midnight on Monday would occur at that moment ending Monday and commencing Tuesday.
§ 1009. Money of Account.
The money of account of Guam is the United States dollar and cent. Public accounts and all proceedings in courts shall be kept and had in conformity with this Section. This Section does not vitiate or affect any account, charge, or entry originally made, or any note, bond, or other instrument expressed in any other money of account; but such account, charge, or entry shall be reduced to dollars, or parts of dollars in any suit upon it. SOURCE: GC § 213 and 214. 2024 NOTE: Reference to ‘Territory’ replaced with ‘Guam’ pursuant to 1 GCA § 420.
§ 1010. Standard Time.
The standard time throughout Guam for the whole year shall be that of the one hundred fiftieth meridian of longitude east from Greenwich (150NE). Such time shall be known as Guam Standard Time. Guam is hereby exempted from the provisions of Section 3(a) of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-387).
1 GCA GENERAL PROVISIONS
CH. 10 HOLIDAYS, FESTIVITIES, TIME, ETC.
1 GCA GENERAL PROVISIONS CH. 10 HOLIDAYS, FESTIVITIES, TIME, ETC.
SOURCE: GC § 223, added by P.L. 5-025:1 (Mar. 23, 1959). P.L. 9-058 (May 1, 1967) amended § 223, but this amendment was not codified. Codified to this section by P.L. 15-104:1 (Mar. 5, 1980), with Legislative History stating that the section ‘gives effect to P.L. 9058, though in simpler language.’ 2024 NOTE: Reference to ’ t erritory’ omitted pursuant to 1 GCA § 420. COMPILER’S COMMENT: The United States Congress enacted the Uniform Time Act of 1966 and included Guam within the definition of a State. By so doing, the Act required that Guam either follow the provisions of § 3(a) of the Act which required all of the United States to go on Daylight Savings Time at the same time and go off Daylight Savings Time at the same time each year or exempt itself from such provisions and remain on Standard Time the whole year. Guam, by P.L. 9-058 (uncodified, but noted in the 1970 Govt. Code, Vol. 1, § 223) placed Guam on permanent Standard Time. Thus, the Governor has no further authority to promulgate Daylight Savings Time by Executive Order. While the Uniform Time Act of 1966 did establish that Guam was to be treated as a State for purposes of going on and off Daylight Savings Time, it did not set as Standard Time Zone for Guam. This is because the time zones established ended with the zone centered around 150NW Latitude. Guam, of course, sits at about 144NE Latitude. Therefore, the Legislature may take three courses of action. It may keep existing law and have Guam remain on Guam Standard Time throughout the year. It may repeal the last sentence of this sentence of this Section, whereupon Guam will automatically, under Federal law, go on and off Daylight Time along with the rest of the U.S. (except for those states, such as Hawaii, which have exempted themselves - as Guam has - from the Federal provisions). Thirdly, the Legislature can keep the yearround Standard Time and alter the meridian around which Guam’s time is determined so that, say, Guam Standard Time would be advanced by one hour or one-half hour year round. In any event, Guam must abide by the Federal Law in following, or not following Daylight Savings Time.
§ 1011. Liberation Day.
(a) Liberation Day is a legal holiday declared in commemoration of the anniversary of the liberation of Guam from the Japanese Occupation on July 21, 1944 and the inauguration of civil government in Guam on July 21, 1950. (b) I Maga’håga/Maga’låhi is authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation calling upon the people of Guam to observe Liberation Day by displaying the flag at their homes or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies and festivities expressive of the public sentiment befitting the occasion. SOURCE: GC § 220 and § 221; the Liberation Day Holiday was established by § 1000 of this Chapter. 2024 NOTE: Reference to the ‘Governor’ replaced with I Maga’håga/Maga’låhi pursuant to 5 GCA § 1510.
§ 1012. Guam Island Fair.
Annually, I Maga’håga/Maga’låhi shall issue a proclamation calling upon the people of Guam to observe a Guam Island Fair which shall run concurrently with and incorporate the July 4th (Independence Day) and the July 21st (Liberation Day) holidays. SOURCE: Added as GC § 221a by P.L. 13-151:1 (July 1, 1976); amended by P.L. 15-039:2 (June 19, 1979) and P.L. 15-123:3 (Apr. 22, 1980). Repealed and reenacted by P.L. 16-120:27(a) (Dec. 17, 1982). 2024 NOTE: Reference to the ‘Governor’ replaced with I Maga’håga/Maga’låhi pursuant to 5 GCA § 1510. COMPILER’S COMMENT: This Section was enacted in response to widespread interest in continuing forms of light gambling used at the time of the Guam Island Fair to raise money for the various public and charitable institutions which use the Fair to raise money. Also, it was recognized that the July 4th and Liberation Day fairs had expanded towards each other so that it was appropriate to have only one fair encompassing the two dates. However, § 2 of P.L. 13-151 was omitted from the new Criminal and Correctional Code due to the fact that the Criminal and Correctional Code was in the Legislature, with all corrections made to it, when this law was passed. Rather than amending that Code with this excep