S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3331
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 29, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the general construction law and the education law, in
   relation to the designation of Good Friday as a public holiday
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section 24 of the general construction law, as amended by
 chapter 347 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
   § 24. Public holidays; half-holidays. The term public holiday includes
 the following days in each year:  the first day of January, known as New
 Year's day; the third Monday of January,  known  as  Dr.  Martin  Luther
 King, Jr. day; the twelfth day of February, known as Lincoln's birthday;
 the third Monday in February, known as Washington's birthday; THE FRIDAY
 IMMEDIATELY BEFORE EASTER, KNOWN AS GOOD FRIDAY; the last Monday in May,
 known as Memorial day; the second Sunday in June, known as Flag day; the
 fourth  day  of  July,  known  as  Independence day; the first Monday in
 September, known as Labor day; the second Monday in  October,  known  as
 Columbus  day; the eleventh day of November, known as Veterans' day; the
 fourth Thursday in November, known as Thanksgiving day; and the  twenty-
 fifth  day  of December, known as Christmas day, and if any of such days
 except Flag day  is  Sunday,  the  next  day  thereafter;  each  general
 election  day,  and  each  day  appointed by the president of the United
 States or by the governor of this state as a day of  general  thanksgiv-
 ing, general fasting and prayer, or other general religious observances.
 The  term half-holiday includes the period from noon to midnight of each
 Saturday which is not a public holiday.
   § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new  section  3204-a  to
 read as follows:
   § 3204-A. GOOD FRIDAY SCHOOL HOLIDAY. 1. THE FRIDAY IMMEDIATELY BEFORE
 EASTER,  COMMONLY  KNOWN AS GOOD FRIDAY, SHALL BE DECLARED A HOLIDAY FOR
 ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD05938-01-9

 A. 3331                             2
 
   2. THE TERM "GOOD FRIDAY" SHALL REPLACE "SPRING  RECESS"  AND  SIMILAR
 TERMINOLOGY  ON  ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT CALENDARS AND COMMUNICATIONS
 THAT REFERENCE GOOD FRIDAY.
   §  3.  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 THE OBSERVANCE
 OF GOOD FRIDAY AND, IF NECESSARY, SUCH OBSERVED HOLIDAY SHALL BE  CALCU-
 LATED AS A SESSION DAY.
   §  4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.