STATE OF NEW YORK
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4038
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 26, 2019
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Introduced by Sen. THOMAS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing certain
school holidays
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3204-a
2 to read as follows:
3 § 3204-a. Cultural school holidays. 1. The following cultural or reli-
4 gious holidays shall be school holidays for any schools or school
5 districts where the board of education or trustees determines such
6 schools or districts have a significant population of students who
7 observe such days: Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Diwali, Vaisakhi, Good
8 Friday and Onam.
9 2. A school district having a population equal to or greater than
10 seven and one-half percent of persons or ethnic groups, identified by
11 the United States census bureau in the most recent decennial United
12 States census, which observe the respective holidays named in subdivi-
13 sion one of this section are hereby authorized and directed to cause all
14 public schools within such district to be closed on such days.
15 § 2. Section 3604 of the education law is amended by adding a new
16 subdivision 7-c to read as follows:
17 7-c. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for purposes of any
18 calculation under subdivision seven or eight of this section, the
19 commissioner shall disregard any reduction resulting from observance of
20 Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Diwali, Vaisakhi, Good Friday and Onam and, if
21 necessary, such observed holidays shall be calculated as session days.
22 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
23 the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10085-03-9
