When the Lunar New Year kicks off this year on Wednesday, January 29, public schools across the state of New York will be closed for the holiday, thanks to legislation signed into law in 2023 sponsored by Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) that added the first day of the Asian Lunar New Year to the state’s calendar of public school holidays.

“I am delighted to celebrate the moment,” said Assemblyman Colton, who was joined in sponsoring the legislation by Assemblywoman Grace Lee, who represents Manhattan’s Chinatown. “This is a significant occasion for the many Asian-Americans living across New York State. While New York City already closed public schools to mark the start of the Lunar New Year, AAPI families living in other municipalities found themselves forced to choose between academic requirements and celebrating an auspicious occasion as a family. Thanks to our legislation, this is no longer the case.”

Because the first day of Lunar New Year fell on a weekend in 2024, this is the first year that the law will have a practical impact.

Nearly two million people of Asian heritage live in New York State, which has the second largest population of Asians in the country. The holiday, which marks the first new moon of the lunar calendar, usually falls between January 21 and February 20. The first day of Lunar New Year was designated a public school holiday in New York City in 2015.

Beyond allowing those who celebrate the Lunar New Year to spend the day with family and friends, designating it as a school holiday provides everyone across the state with the opportunity to learn more about a cherished Asian cultural tradition, which in turn helps foster understanding and a sense of community, Assemblyman Colton explained. “Our diversity is our strength,” he said, “and the more opportunities we can provide for cultural awareness, the easier it is to promote acceptance and inclusion, and importantly, combat the twin scourges of hate and prejudice.”