diff --git a/assets/scss/03-organisms/_footer.scss b/assets/scss/03-organisms/_footer.scss
index 9449b68ea1..7457e49809 100644
--- a/assets/scss/03-organisms/_footer.scss
+++ b/assets/scss/03-organisms/_footer.scss
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
     color: $c-gray-dark;
     font-weight: 300;
 
-    b {
+    &--date {
       font-weight: 500;
     }
   }
diff --git a/changelogs/DP-1323.txt b/changelogs/DP-1323.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3336a96646
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/DP-1323.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+___EXAMPLE___
+Patch
+Change
+- (Patternlab) [Footer] DP-1323: remove <b> tag from footer
+- (React) [Footer] DP-1323: remove <b> tag from footer
diff --git a/patternlab/styleguide/source/_patterns/03-organisms/by-template/footer.twig b/patternlab/styleguide/source/_patterns/03-organisms/by-template/footer.twig
index 390e8cdc34..0e9bc15241 100644
--- a/patternlab/styleguide/source/_patterns/03-organisms/by-template/footer.twig
+++ b/patternlab/styleguide/source/_patterns/03-organisms/by-template/footer.twig
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
         {% include "@molecules/social-links.twig" %}
       </div>
       <div class="ma__footer__copyright">
-        <p><b>&copy; {{ "now"|date("Y") }} Commonwealth of Massachusetts.</b></p>
+        <p class="ma__footer__copyright--date">&copy; {{ "now"|date("Y") }} Commonwealth of Massachusetts.</p>
         <p>Mass.gov&#x00AE; is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.</p>
         <a href="{{ privacyPolicy | default('/privacypolicy') }}">Mass.gov Privacy Policy</a>
       </div>
diff --git a/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_0_document_0_phone.png b/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_0_document_0_phone.png
index 106778c086..590af65b64 100644
Binary files a/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_0_document_0_phone.png and b/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_0_document_0_phone.png differ
diff --git a/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_0_document_1_tablet.png b/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_0_document_1_tablet.png
index c308b236bc..6565b54313 100644
Binary files a/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_0_document_1_tablet.png and b/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_0_document_1_tablet.png differ
diff --git a/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_with_live_JSON_0_document_0_phone.png b/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_with_live_JSON_0_document_0_phone.png
index 6a00e01103..5560e943e8 100644
Binary files a/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_with_live_JSON_0_document_0_phone.png and b/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_with_live_JSON_0_document_0_phone.png differ
diff --git a/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_with_live_JSON_0_document_1_tablet.png b/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_with_live_JSON_0_document_1_tablet.png
index 32766e6026..00497f9afd 100644
Binary files a/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_with_live_JSON_0_document_1_tablet.png and b/react/backstop/data/bitmaps_reference/vrt_organisms_Footer_Footer_with_live_JSON_0_document_1_tablet.png differ
diff --git a/react/src/components/organisms/Footer/index.js b/react/src/components/organisms/Footer/index.js
index 4aeeb9a16d..b781bf121f 100644
--- a/react/src/components/organisms/Footer/index.js
+++ b/react/src/components/organisms/Footer/index.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const Footer = ({
           <SocialLinks {...socialLinks} />
         </div>
         <div className="ma__footer__copyright">
-          <p><b>&copy; {footerText.copyright}</b></p>
+          <p class="ma__footer__copyright--date">&copy; {footerText.copyright}</p>
           <p>{footerText.description}</p>
           <a href={footerText.privacyPolicy.url}>{footerText.privacyPolicy.text}</a>
         </div>