LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Some Kentucky lawmakers are working to remove Confederate holidays from a list of public holidays in state law with a new bill.

Freshman Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, sponsor of House Bill 211, said he was not aware the holidays were on the books until he was knocking on doors during his campaign. 

Aull's bill would eliminate Robert E. Lee Day (Jan. 19) and Confederate Memorial Day and Jefferson Davis Day (both on June 3) from a list of public holidays in state statute. 

Just like the 2020 removal of a statue of Jefferson Davis from the Capitol rotunda, it’s the right thing to do, said Aull. 

"If we want to be an inclusive, welcoming place in Kentucky where everybody feels love and appreciated, this is one small thing that we can do to show that we are getting past our history and understanding that some people see these things as hurtful and harmful, and just make Kentucky a more welcoming place," he said.

According to Legislative Research Commission records, Robert E. Lee Day was added to the statute nearly 100 years ago in 1926, Confederate Memorial Day was added in 1932 and Jefferson Davis Day in 1948. 

In 2020, former Republican Rep. Jerry Miller filed a bill that would eliminate the Confederate holidays, along with Franklin D. Roosevelt Day. 

The bill did have enough support to get out of committee, he said Monday.

This year's bill has not yet been assigned to a committee and it’s not clear if it will move forward. 

"The majority party has indicated that since this is a short session, they intend to advance and pass less legislation than the past during a short session and so if that’s the case, we might have an uphill battle, but just because it’s hard and an uphill battle doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing and fighting to make the change that we think is right," said Aull. 

Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, the current Majority Whip, was a co-sponsor of the 2020 bill to remove the Confederate holidays.  

He told Spectrum News 1 Monday that he would support this year’s bill.