NY State Senate Bill 2015-S6747A

Senate Bill S6747A

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Establishes St. Patrick's day as a school holiday for all city school districts of one million or more with an Irish-American population of 7.5% or more

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 15, 2016	referred to education delivered to assembly passed senate
Mar 07, 2016	ordered to third reading cal.315 committee discharged and committed to rules print number 6747a
Mar 07, 2016	amend and recommit to education
Feb 16, 2016	referred to education

Votes

- Mar 15, 2016 - Floor Vote
  S6747A
  
  51
  
  Aye
  
  8
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Absent
  
  2
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Floor Vote: Mar 15, 2016
      
      aye (51)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Akshar
      
      Amedore
      
      Avella
      
      Bonacic
      
      Boyle
      
      Breslin
      
      Carlucci
      
      Comrie
      
      Croci
      
      Diaz
      
      Espaillat
      
      Farley
      
      Felder
      
      Flanagan
      
      Funke
      
      Gallivan
      
      Gianaris
      
      Golden
      
      Griffo
      
      Hamilton
      
      Hannon
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Kennedy
      
      Klein
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Latimer
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Marchione
      
      Martins
      
      Montgomery
      
      Murphy
      
      Nozzolio
      
      Ortt
      
      Parker
      
      Peralta
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Ritchie
      
      Robach
      
      Savino
      
      Serino
      
      Serrano
      
      Seward
      
      Squadron
      
      Stavisky
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Valesky
      
      Venditto
      
      Young
      
      nay (8)
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Dilan
      
      Hassell-Thompson
      
      Krueger
      
      O'Mara
      
      Perkins
      
      Persaud
      
      Rivera
      
      absent (1)
      
      Panepinto
      
      excused (2)
      
      Larkin
      
      Sanders Jr.
  Mar 7, 2016 - Rules Committee Vote
  S6747A
  
  15
  
  Aye
  
  3
  
  Nay
  
  6
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  1
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Rules Committee Vote: Mar 7, 2016
      
      aye (15)
      
      Breslin
      
      Carlucci
      
      Espaillat
      
      Farley
      
      Flanagan
      
      Hannon
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Larkin
      
      Marcellino
      
      Montgomery
      
      Nozzolio
      
      Robach
      
      Seward
      
      Valesky
      
      nay (3)
      
      Hassell-Thompson
      
      Krueger
      
      Perkins
      
      aye wr (6)
      
      Bonacic
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Dilan
      
      Gianaris
      
      Little
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      excused (1)
      
      Parker

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

co-Sponsors

2015-S6747 - Details

Current Committee:: Assembly Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §3204-a, amd §3604, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S1933
2019-2020: S4167

2015-S6747 - Summary

Establishes St. Patrick's day, March 17th, as a school holiday for all city school districts of cities of one million inhabitants or more.

2015-S6747 - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S6747

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
establishing the St. Patrick's Day school holiday

 PURPOSE : To establish St. Patrick's Day as a school holiday for all
city school districts of one million or more with an Irish-American
population of 7.5 percent or more.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of this bill amends the Education Law by adding a new
section 3204-a, which provides for a school holiday for St. Patrick's
Day in those districts where the city has a population of one million
or more and an Irish-American population equal to or greater than 7.5%
determined by the census.

Section 2 of this bill adds a new subdivision 7-c to the Education
Law, which states that the Education Commissioner shall disregard any
reduction in attendance resulting from observance of St. Patrick's Day
and may be counted as a session day if necessary.

Section 3 provides that this act shall take effect on the one hundred
twentieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that any and
all rules and regulations and any other measures necessary to
implement any provisions of this act on its effective date may be

promulgated and taken, respectively, on or before such effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :  St. Patrick's Day is the oldest cultural celebration
in the Irish-American community. It is a traditional time of reunion
and celebration with family and friends, as well as a holy day of
obligation for Irish Catholics. However, public schools do not close
for that day and education authorities have even gone so far as to use
the evening of this day for parent-teacher conferences. This places an
unfair burden on school children, parents, and teachers within the
Irish-American community. It is impractical to keep public schools
open in Irish-American communities when there is a significant number
of students and instructors who take the day off.

In 2014, the Governor approved legislation (Chapter 491) directing
school districts to determine whether school session should be held on
a day where a religious or cultural holiday would lead to a waste of
educational resources due to significant absenteeism. Considering that
a large Irish-American population in New York City is impacted by St.
Patrick's Day, schools should be closed for the observance of this
holiday, or if school is in session, a child's inability to attend
school on this holiday should be disregarded.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY : New bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : To be determined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :  This act shall take effect on the one hundred
twentieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that any and
all rules and regulations and any other measures necessary to
implement any provisions of this act on its effective date may be
promulgated and taken, respectively, on or before such effective date.

2015-S6747 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6747

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 16, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- 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  the  St.
  Patrick's Day school holiday

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3204-a
to read as follows:
  S 3204-A. ST. PATRICK'S DAY SCHOOL HOLIDAY. 1. THE 17TH DAY OF  MARCH,
COMMONLY  KNOWN  AS ST. PATRICK'S DAY, SHALL BE A SCHOOL HOLIDAY FOR ALL
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN A QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
  2. A QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, FOR PURPOSES OF  THIS  SECTION,  SHALL
INCLUDE  A  CITY  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  OF A CITY HAVING A POPULATION OF ONE
MILLION OR MORE INHABITANTS  AND  HAVING  AN  IRISH-AMERICAN  POPULATION
EQUAL  TO OR GREATER THAN SEVEN AND ONE-HALF PERCENT THEREOF. THE IRISH-
AMERICAN POPULATION, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, SHALL  INCLUDE  THOSE
PERSONS,  ADULTS  AND  CHILDREN,  WHO  ARE  FULLY  OR PARTIALLY OF IRISH
DESCENT AND SHALL INCLUDE ALL THOSE PERSONS AND ETHNIC GROUPS IDENTIFIED
AS IRISH-AMERICAN BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU FOR PURPOSES OF THE
YEAR TWO THOUSAND TEN FEDERAL DECENNIAL CENSUS.
  3. THE SCHOOL AUTHORITIES OF EVERY QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE HERE-
BY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO  CAUSE  ALL  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  WITHIN  SUCH
DISTRICT TO BE CLOSED ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY.
  S  2.  Section  3604  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 7-c to read as follows:
  7-C. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, FOR PURPOSES  OF  ANY
CALCULATION  UNDER  SUBDIVISION  SEVEN  OR  EIGHT  OF  THIS SECTION, THE
COMMISSIONER SHALL DISREGARD ANY REDUCTION RESULTING FROM OBSERVANCE  OF
ST.  PATRICK'S  DAY  AND,  IF  NECESSARY, SUCH OBSERVED HOLIDAY SHALL BE
CALCULATED AS A SESSION DAY.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided that any and all  rules  and  regu-
lations  and  any other measures necessary to implement any provision of
this act on its effective date may be promulgated and taken, respective-
ly, on or before such effective date.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14090-01-6

co-Sponsors

2015-S6747A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Assembly Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §3204-a, amd §3604, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S1933
2019-2020: S4167

2015-S6747A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes St. Patrick's day, March 17th, as a school holiday for all city school districts of cities of one million inhabitants or more.

2015-S6747A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S6747A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
establishing the St. Patrick's Day school holiday

 PURPOSE :

To establish St. Patrick's Day as a school holiday in the city of New
York

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of this bill amends the Education Law by adding a new
section 3204a, which provides for a school holiday for St. Patrick's
Day in a city school district having a population of one million or
more inhabitants

Section 2 of this bill adds a new subdivision 7-c to section 3604 of
the Education Law, which states that the Education Commissioner shall
disregard any reduction in attendance resulting from observance of St.
Patrick's Day and may be counted as a session day if necessary.

Section 3 provides that this act shall take effect on the one hundred
twentieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that any and
all rules and regulations and any other measures necessary to
implement any provisions of this act on its effective date may be

promulgated and taken, respectively, on or before such effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

St. Patrick's Day is the oldest cultural celebration in the
Irish-American community. It is a traditional time of reunion and
celebration with family and friends, as well as a holy day of
obligation for Irish Catholics. However, public schools do not close
for that day and education authorities have even gone so far as to use
the evening of this day for parent-teacher conferences. This places an
unfair burden on school children, parents, and teachers within the
Irish-American community. It is impractical to keep public schools
open in Irish-American communities when there is a significant number
of students and instructors who take the day off.

In 2014, the Governor approved legislation (Chapter 491) directing
school districts to determine whether school session should be held on
a day where a religious or cultural holiday would lead to a waste of
educational resources due to significant absenteeism. Considering that
a large Irish-American population in New York City is impacted by St.
Patrick's Day, schools should be closed for the observance of this
holiday, or if school is in session, a child's inability to attend
school on this holiday should be disregarded.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

To be determined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided that any and all rules and
regulations and any other measures necessary to implement any
provisions of this act on its effective date may be promulgated and
taken, respectively, on or before such effective date.

2015-S6747A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 6747--A

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 16, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens. AVELLA, ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed,
  and when printed to be committed to  the  Committee  on  Education  --
  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
  recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing  the  St.
  Patrick's Day school holiday

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3204-a
to read as follows:
  S 3204-A. ST. PATRICK'S DAY SCHOOL HOLIDAY. 1. THE 17TH DAY OF  MARCH,
COMMONLY  KNOWN  AS ST. PATRICK'S DAY, SHALL BE A SCHOOL HOLIDAY FOR ALL
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN A QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
  2. A QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, FOR PURPOSES OF  THIS  SECTION,  SHALL
MEAN A CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF A CITY HAVING A POPULATION OF ONE MILLION
OR MORE INHABITANTS.
  3.  THE  SCHOOL  AUTHORITIES OF A QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE HEREBY
AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO CAUSE ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITHIN SUCH DISTRICT
TO BE CLOSED ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY.
  S 2. Section 3604 of the education law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
subdivision 7-c to read as follows:
  7-C.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, FOR PURPOSES OF ANY
CALCULATION UNDER SUBDIVISION  SEVEN  OR  EIGHT  OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE
COMMISSIONER  SHALL DISREGARD ANY REDUCTION RESULTING FROM OBSERVANCE OF
ST. PATRICK'S DAY AND, IF NECESSARY,  SUCH  OBSERVED  HOLIDAY  SHALL  BE
CALCULATED AS A SESSION DAY.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it  shall  have  become a law; provided that any and all rules and regu-
lations and any other measures necessary to implement any  provision  of
this act on its effective date may be promulgated and taken, respective-
ly, on or before such effective date.


 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14090-02-6

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Senate Bill S6747A

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Sponsored By

Tony Avella

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.

2015-S6747 - Details

2015-S6747 - Summary

2015-S6747 - Sponsor Memo

2015-S6747 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.

Martin J. Golden

2015-S6747A (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S6747A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S6747A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S6747A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments