S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8777
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
November 25, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. FALL -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting discrimi-
nation of students on school property or at a school function based on
religious attire
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 11 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 11 to read as follows:
11. "RELIGIOUS ATTIRE" SHALL MEAN ANY ATTIRE, CLOTHING, OR HAIRSTYLE
WORN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S RELIGION.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 12 of the education law, as amended by
chapter 102 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
1. No student shall be subjected to harassment or bullying by employ-
ees or students on school property or at a school function; nor shall
any student be subjected to discrimination based on a person's actual or
perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion,
religious practice, RELIGIOUS ATTIRE, disability, sexual orientation,
gender, or sex by school employees or students on school property or at
a school function. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to
prohibit a denial of admission into, or exclusion from, a course of
instruction based on a person's gender that would be permissible under
section thirty-two hundred one-a or paragraph (a) of subdivision two of
section twenty-eight hundred fifty-four of this chapter and title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. section 1681, et. seq.), or
to prohibit, as discrimination based on disability, actions that would
be permissible under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14088-01-9