NY State Senate Bill 2021-S5709A

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education 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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to education
May 13, 2021	print number 5709a
May 13, 2021	amend and recommit to education
Mar 16, 2021	referred to education

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

co-Sponsors

2021-S5709 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7062
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §3204-a, amd §3604, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S7002
2015-2016: S6928
2017-2018: S1513
2019-2020: S2776
2023-2024: S2743

2021-S5709 - Summary

Establishes the Diwali school holiday in certain qualifying school districts to commemorate the Hindu festival of lights.

2021-S5709 - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S5709

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the Diwa-
li school holiday

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds new section 3204-a to the Education Law, requiring that
the fifteenth day of the Hindu lunisolar month of Kartik, known as
Lakshmi Puja, shall be a school holiday for any or all 'schools in a
qualified school district where the board of education or trustees
determines such schools have a significant South Asian population.
Qualified school districts shall include a city school district for a
city having a population of one million or more inhabitants and having
an Asian population equal to or greater than 7.5 percent, as identified
by the United States census bureau in the most in the most recent decen-
nial United States census. However, in the event that New York State of
the United States census bureau collects population data which denotes
the number of citizen of Asian-Indian, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan

descent, then a qualified school district shall include a city school
district for a city having a population of one million or more inhabit-
ants and having a South Asian population equal to or greater than 3
percent.

Section 2 adds new subdivision 7-c to section 3604 of the Education Law,
allowing the commissioner to count any such school holidays as a school
session day.

Section 3 states that this act shall take effect on the one hundred
twentieth day after it shall have become law; provided that any and all
rules and regulations and any other measures necessary to implement any
provision of this act on its effective date may be promulgated and
taken, respectively, on or before such effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York is home to a wide variety of religions and ethnicities, each
with their own set of holidays and festivals. When such holidays and
festivals fall on school days, many teachers, and parents are required
to choose between a school absence and not celebrating important
cultural or religious observances. New York is home to many residents of
South-Asian descent. Lakshmi Puja is celebrated on the third day of the
five-day festival of Diwali and is considered the most significant part
of the festival. Hindus, Sikhs, and Jainists observe it. Allowing such a
school holiday demonstrates the importance of New York's culture diver-
sity and the significance of its South-Asian community. This recognition
is already afforded to other ethnic and religious groups in New York.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S 1513 AVELLA Same as A 631 Miller MG

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

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

2021-S5709 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5709
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  COMRIE,  LIU,  PERSAUD,  RAMOS  -- 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 Diwa-
   li 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:
   § 3204-A.  HINDU FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS SCHOOL HOLIDAY. 1.  THE  FIFTEENTH
 DAY OF THE HINDU LUNISOLAR MONTH OF KARTIK, KNOWN AS LAKSHMI PUJA, SHALL
 BE  A  SCHOOL  HOLIDAY  FOR  ANY  OR  ALL  SCHOOLS IN A QUALIFIED SCHOOL
 DISTRICT WHERE THE  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION  OR  TRUSTEES  DETERMINES  SUCH
 SCHOOLS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT SOUTH-ASIAN POPULATION.
   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 ASIAN POPULATION EQUAL TO OR
 GREATER THAN SEVEN AND  ONE-HALF  PERCENT.  THE  ASIAN  POPULATION,  FOR
 PURPOSES  OF THIS SECTION, SHALL INCLUDE THOSE PERSONS, ADULTS AND CHIL-
 DREN, WHO ARE FULLY OR PARTIALLY OF ASIAN DESCENT AND SHALL INCLUDE  ALL
 THOSE PERSONS AND ETHNIC GROUPS IDENTIFIED AS ASIAN BY THE UNITED STATES
 CENSUS BUREAU IN THE MOST RECENT DECENNIAL UNITED STATES CENSUS.  IN THE
 EVENT  THAT  THE  STATE  OF  NEW YORK OR THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU
 COLLECTS POPULATION DATA FOR THE STATE OF NEW  YORK  WHICH  DENOTES  THE
 NUMBER OF CITIZENS OF ASIAN-INDIAN, BANGLADESHI, AND SRI LANKAN DESCENT,
 THEN A QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL INCLUDE A CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF
 A CITY HAVING A POPULATION OF ONE MILLION OR MORE INHABITANTS AND HAVING
 A  SOUTH  ASIAN POPULATION, INCLUDING ASIAN-INDIAN, BANGLADESHI, AND SRI
 LANKAN EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN THREE PERCENT.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10039-01-1

 S. 5709                             2
 
   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 LAKSHMI PUJA, DURING THE FESTIVAL OF DIWALI.
   §  2.  Section  3604  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 7-a to read as follows:
   7-A. 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
 LAKSHMI  PUJA,  DURING  THE  FESTIVAL  OF DIWALI AND, IF NECESSARY, SUCH
 OBSERVED HOLIDAY SHALL BE CALCULATED AS A SESSION DAY.
   § 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.

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7062
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §3204-a, amd §3604, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S7002
2015-2016: S6928
2017-2018: S1513
2019-2020: S2776
2023-2024: S2743

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the Diwali school holiday in certain qualifying school districts to commemorate the Hindu festival of lights.

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S5709A

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the Diwa-
li school holiday

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds new section 3204-a to the Education Law, requiring that
the fifteenth day of the Hindu lunisolar month of Kartik, known as
Lakshmi Puja, shall be a school holiday for any or all 'schools in a
qualified school district where the board of education or trustees
determines such schools have a significant South Asian population.
Qualified school districts shall include a city school district for a
city having a population of one million or more inhabitants and having
an Asian population equal to or greater than 7.5 percent, as identified
by the United States census bureau in the most recent decennial United
States census. However, in the event that New York State of the United
States census bureau collects population data which denotes the number
of citizen of Asian-Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Nepali,Myanmari,

Bhutanese ,Indo-Caribbean which includes Guyanese and Trinidadians and
Sri Lankan descent, then a qualified school district shall include a
city school district for a city having a population of one million or
more inhabitants and having a South Asian population equal to or greater
than 3 percent.

Section 2 adds new subdivision 7-c to section 3604 of the Education Law,
allowing the commissioner to count any such school holidays as a school
session day.

Section 3 states that this act shall take effect on the one hundred
twentieth day after it shall have become law; provided that any and all
rules and regulations and any other measures necessary to implement any
provision of this act on its effective date may be promulgated and
taken, respectively, on or before such effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York is home to a wide variety of religions and ethnicities, each
with their own set of holidays and festivals. When such holidays and
festivals fall on school days, many teachers, and parents are required
to choose between a school absence and not celebrating important
cultural or religious observances. New York is home to many residents of
South-Asian descent. Lakshmi Puja is celebrated on the third day of the
five-day festival of Diwali and is considered the most significant part
of the festival. Hindus, Sikhs, and Jainists observe it. Allowing such a
school holiday demonstrates the importance of New York's culture diver-
sity and the significance of its South-Asian community. This recognition
is already afforded to other ethnic and religious groups in New York.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

A631 (2017)

A902 (2015)

A9565 (2013)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

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

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5709--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  COMRIE,  LIU,  PERSAUD,  RAMOS  -- 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 Diwa-
   li 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:
   §  3204-A.   HINDU FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS SCHOOL HOLIDAY. 1. THE FIFTEENTH
 DAY OF THE HINDU LUNISOLAR MONTH OF KARTIK, KNOWN AS LAKSHMI PUJA, SHALL
 BE A SCHOOL HOLIDAY FOR  ANY  OR  ALL  SCHOOLS  IN  A  QUALIFIED  SCHOOL
 DISTRICT  WHERE  THE  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION  OR  TRUSTEES DETERMINES SUCH
 SCHOOLS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT SOUTH-ASIAN POPULATION.
   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 ASIAN POPULATION EQUAL  TO  OR
 GREATER  THAN  SEVEN  AND  ONE-HALF  PERCENT.  THE ASIAN POPULATION, FOR
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, SHALL INCLUDE THOSE PERSONS, ADULTS AND  CHIL-
 DREN,  WHO ARE FULLY OR PARTIALLY OF ASIAN DESCENT AND SHALL INCLUDE ALL
 THOSE PERSONS AND ETHNIC GROUPS IDENTIFIED AS ASIAN BY THE UNITED STATES
 CENSUS BUREAU IN THE MOST RECENT DECENNIAL UNITED STATES CENSUS.  IN THE
 EVENT THAT THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR  THE  UNITED  STATES  CENSUS  BUREAU
 COLLECTS  POPULATION  DATA  FOR  THE STATE OF NEW YORK WHICH DENOTES THE
 NUMBER OF CITIZENS  OF  ASIAN-INDIAN,  BANGLADESHI,  PAKISTANI,  NEPALI,
 MYANMARI, BHUTANESE, INDO-CARIBBEAN WHICH INCLUDES GUYANESE AND TRINIDA-
 DIANS,  AND  SRI  LANKAN DESCENT, THEN A QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL
 INCLUDE A CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF A CITY  HAVING  A  POPULATION  OF  ONE
 MILLION OR MORE INHABITANTS AND HAVING A SOUTH ASIAN POPULATION, INCLUD-
 ING  ASIAN-INDIAN,  BANGLADESHI, PAKISTANI, NEPALI, MYANMARI, BHUTANESE,
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD10039-07-1

 S. 5709--A                          2
 
 INDO-CARIBBEAN WHICH INCLUDES GUYANESE AND TRINIDADIANS, AND SRI  LANKAN
 EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN THREE PERCENT.
   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 LAKSHMI PUJA, DURING THE FESTIVAL OF DIWALI.
   § 2. Section 3604 of the education law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 7-a to read as follows:
   7-A.  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
 LAKSHMI PUJA, DURING THE FESTIVAL OF  DIWALI  AND,  IF  NECESSARY,  SUCH
 OBSERVED HOLIDAY SHALL BE CALCULATED AS A SESSION DAY.
   § 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.

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Senate Bill S5709A

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2021-S5709 - Details

2021-S5709 - Summary

2021-S5709 - Sponsor Memo

2021-S5709 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S5709A

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2021-S5709 - Details

2021-S5709 - Summary

2021-S5709 - Sponsor Memo

2021-S5709 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S5709A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments