STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7399
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 25, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to moments of silence in
schools
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 3029-a of the education law, as added by chapter
2 1204 of the laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 3029-a. Silent meditation in public schools. 1. In each public
4 school classroom, the teacher in charge [may, or if so authorized or
5 directed by the board of education by which he is employed,] shall, at
6 the opening of school upon every school day, [conduct a brief] permit
7 students to observe a one minute period of silent meditation with the
8 participation of all the [pupils] students therein assembled. Such peri-
9 od of silent meditation shall be utilized at the discretion of each
10 individual student.
11 2. The silent meditation authorized by [subsection] subdivision one of
12 this [act] section is not intended to be, and shall not be conducted as,
13 a religious service or exercise, but may be considered as an opportunity
14 for silent meditation on a religious theme by those who are so disposed,
15 or a moment of silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the
16 day. As used in subdivision one of this section, the term "partic-
17 ipation" shall be construed to permit seated participation and not to
18 require any [pupil] student to stand.
19 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10874-01-5
