What's happening
This bill requires SUNY and CUNY institutions to observe Eid Ul-Fitr, Eid Ul-Adha, Diwali, and Asian Lunar New Year as holidays.
Why it matters
Expands cultural recognition and inclusivity. at SUNY and CUNY by officially observing important holidays for Muslim, Hindu, and East Asian communities, likely improving campus climate for students and staff from those backgrounds.
Impacts academic scheduling and planning. , as holding no classes on these holidays may require calendar adjustments, potentially affecting semester length, exam schedules, and university operations.
Grants discretionary power to chancellors. to exempt specific institutions, which introduces flexibility but could result in inconsistent observance across campuses, raising questions of fairness or clarity.
Signals state-level acknowledgment of religious and cultural diversity. , which may influence broader public policy debates and set a precedent for other educational systems or government agencies.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Add Holidays for SUNY/CUNY
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Held for consideration in higher education
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Add New Holidays to SUNY/CUNY
In Senate Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Tony Avella
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4930
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, SEPULVEDA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. RAMOS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to observance of certain holidays by institutions within the state university and the city university of New York
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 362 to read as follows:
§ 362. Holidays to be observed. No class or any other course of instruction shall be held in any institution within the state university on those days of religious observance known as Eid Ul-Fitr, Eid Ul-Adha, Diwali and the Asian Lunar New Year, provided, however, that the chancellor, in his or her discretion, may exempt any institution from the foregoing provisions of this section.
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6235 to read as follows:
§ 6235. Holidays to be observed. No class or any other course of instruction shall be held in any institution within the city university on those days of religious observance known as Eid Ul-Fitr, Eid Ul-Adha, Diwali and the Asian Lunar New Year provided, however, that the chancellor, in his or her discretion, may exempt any institution from the foregoing provisions of this section.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00627-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.