NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A7067
SPONSOR: Hikind (MS)
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would make Yom Kippur a public holiday.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
This bill proposes to add the tenth day of the month of Tishri on the
Hebrew calendar as a public holiday.
 
EFFECTS OF PRESENT LAW WHICH THIS BILL WOULD ALTER:
Section twenty-four of the general construction law, as amended by chap-
ter twenty-nine of the laws of nineteen hundred eighty is amended to add
the tenth day of the month of Tishri on the Hebrew calendar as a public
holiday.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Yom Kippur is a day that is of great importance to many New Yorkers and
their families. Like Christmas, it is a day that brings families togeth-
er to reflect on years past and what the future holds. The great number
of New Yorkers that observe this holiday should be able to leave their
jobs for this cultural-religious day without fear of being penalized for
missing this day of work.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A4074 of 1984; A2916 of 1995-96
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7067
1999-2000 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 22, 1999
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HIKIND -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE,
ALFANO, M. COHEN, COLTON, SIDIKMAN -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the general construction law, in relation to including
Yom Kippur in each year as a public holiday
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 24 of the general construction law, as amended by
2 chapter 347 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 24. Public holidays; half-holidays. The term public holiday includes
4 the following days in each year: the first day of January, known as New
5 Year's day; the third Monday of January, known as Dr. Martin Luther
6 King, Jr. day; the twelfth day of February, known as Lincoln's birthday;
7 the third Monday in February, known as Washington's birthday; the last
8 Monday in May, known as Memorial day; the second Sunday in June, known
9 as Flag day; the fourth day of July, known as Independence day; the
10 first Monday in September, known as Labor day; the tenth day of the
11 month of Tishri on the Hebrew calendar, known as Yom Kippur; the second
12 Monday in October, known as Columbus day; the eleventh day of November,
13 known as Veterans' day; the fourth Thursday in November, known as
14 Thanksgiving day; and the twenty-fifth day of December, known as Christ-
15 mas day, and if any of such days except Flag day is Sunday, the next day
16 thereafter; each general election day, and each day appointed by the
17 president of the United States or by the governor of this state as a day
18 of general thanksgiving, general fasting and prayer, or other general
19 religious observances. The term half-holiday includes the period from
20 noon to midnight of each Saturday which is not a public holiday.
21 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05317-01-9