S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4038
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 26, 2019
                                ___________
 
 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:
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3204-a
 to read as follows:
   § 3204-A. CULTURAL SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. 1. THE FOLLOWING CULTURAL OR RELI-
 GIOUS HOLIDAYS SHALL BE  SCHOOL  HOLIDAYS  FOR  ANY  SCHOOLS  OR  SCHOOL
 DISTRICTS  WHERE  THE  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION  OR TRUSTEES DETERMINES SUCH
 SCHOOLS OR DISTRICTS HAVE  A  SIGNIFICANT  POPULATION  OF  STUDENTS  WHO
 OBSERVE  SUCH  DAYS:  EID  AL-FITR,  EID AL-ADHA, DIWALI, VAISAKHI, GOOD
 FRIDAY AND ONAM.
   2. A SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVING A POPULATION  EQUAL  TO  OR  GREATER  THAN
 SEVEN  AND  ONE-HALF  PERCENT OF PERSONS OR ETHNIC GROUPS, IDENTIFIED BY
 THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU IN  THE  MOST  RECENT  DECENNIAL  UNITED
 STATES  CENSUS,  WHICH OBSERVE THE RESPECTIVE HOLIDAYS NAMED IN SUBDIVI-
 SION ONE OF THIS SECTION ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO CAUSE ALL
 PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITHIN SUCH DISTRICT TO BE CLOSED ON SUCH DAYS.
   § 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
 EID AL-FITR, EID AL-ADHA, DIWALI, VAISAKHI, GOOD FRIDAY AND ONAM AND, IF
 NECESSARY, SUCH OBSERVED HOLIDAYS SHALL BE CALCULATED AS SESSION DAYS.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 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