S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7398
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 25, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN, BURDICK, CUNNINGHAM, JENSEN, GIBBS,
GALLAGHER, REYES, LEVENBERG, TAYLOR, KELLES -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring public
elementary schools to start no earlier than eight a.m. and public
secondary schools to start no earlier than eight thirty a.m.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 63 to read as follows:
63. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS REQUIRING
ALL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITHIN THE STATE TO START NO EARLIER THAN
EIGHT A.M. AND ALL PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS WITHIN THE STATE TO START NO
EARLIER THAN EIGHT THIRTY A.M.
§ 2. Section 3604 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 8-a to read as follows:
8-A. A. NO PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITHIN THE STATE SHALL BE ENTI-
TLED TO ANY PORTION OF SUCH SCHOOL MONEYS ON SUCH APPORTIONMENT UNLESS
THE REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OR BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE PRECEDING
SCHOOL YEAR SHALL SHOW THAT SUCH PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STARTED NO
EARLIER THAN EIGHT A.M.
B. NO PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL WITHIN THE STATE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ANY
PORTION OF SUCH SCHOOL MONEYS ON SUCH APPORTIONMENT UNLESS THE REPORT OF
THE TRUSTEES OR BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE PRECEDING SCHOOL YEAR SHALL
SHOW THAT SUCH PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS STARTED NO EARLIER THAN EIGHT
THIRTY A.M.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all
academic years beginning on and after such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06985-03-5