NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7769
SPONSOR: Rajkumar TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing Diwali as
a school holiday in certain public schools
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To declare Diwali as a school holiday in the city of New York.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new section 2586-a of education law to declare Diwali
as a public school holiday for all public schools in New York City and
require all the public schools to not be in session on such day.
Section 2 amends subdivision 2-a of section 3635 of the education law to
make a conforming change.
Section 3 sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York City public schools customarily close for holidays observed by
large numbers of students, parents, and faculty. Hundreds of thousands
of Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist New York City residents observe the
festival of Diwali. Designating Diwali as a public school holiday in New
York City would provide the many New Yorkers observing the day with the
same recognition and accommodation afforded those who observe other
holidays. This would give proper recognition to New York's growing South
Asian and IndoCaribbean community, which has spent decades lobbying for
the holiday. Stakeholders across the state, including those in the New
York City public school system, all support designation of Diwali as a
public school holiday.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.
