(a) The State of Georgia shall recognize and observe as public and legal holidays:

(1) All days which have been designated as of January 1, 1984, as public and legal holidays by the federal government; and

(2) All other days designated and proclaimed by the Governor as public and legal holidays or as days of fasting and prayer or other religious observance. In such designation the Governor shall include at least one of the following dates: January 19, April 26, or June 3, or a suitable date in lieu thereof to commemorate the event or events now observed by such dates.

(b) The Governor shall close all state offices and facilities a minimum of 12 days throughout the year and not more than 12 days in observance of the public and legal holidays and other days set forth in subsection (a) of this Code section and shall specify the days state offices and facilities shall be closed for such observances.

(c) Employees of any state department or agency or of any other department or agency covered by the state merit system shall, upon request to their appointing authority or his designee at least seven days in advance, be given priority consideration for time away from work for observance of religious holy days not otherwise provided for in this Code section. Any paid leave time for such religious holy day observance shall be charged to accrued compensatory leave or accrued annual leave credits available to the employee at the time of the holy day observance. No employee may claim priority consideration for more than three work days each calendar year. A request by an employee for time away from work to observe a religious holy day shall not be denied unless the employee has inadequate accrued compensatory or annual leave credits to cover such period of absence or the duties performed by the employee are urgently required and the employee is the only person available who can perform the duties as determined by the appointing authority or his designee. The State Personnel Board shall provide by rule and regulation a procedure to be followed by agencies and departments in the granting of such holy days for employees in the classified service of the state merit system. The employing department or agency shall provide the procedures to be followed for all other employees.