What's happening
This bill establishes Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) as a school holiday in New York City districts with significant South Asian populations.
Why it matters
Recognizes and respects South Asian cultural and religious identity. by mandating a school holiday for Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) in districts with significant South Asian populations, affirming the importance of representation in public institutions.
Defines clear demographic thresholds. for which school districts must observe the holiday, using U.S. Census data on Asian and South Asian populations, ensuring the policy is data-driven and responsive to changing community demographics.
Guarantees that educational funding and calendar requirements are not negatively impacted. by the new holiday, as the law directs that the Diwali holiday will not reduce state aid or count against the number of mandated school days.
Sets a precedent for recognizing non-Christian religious holidays. in public schools, potentially paving the way for similar recognition of other minority groups’ important cultural and religious observances, which could have broader implications for diversity and inclusion in education policy.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make Diwali a School Holiday
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to education
- Referred to 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 Diwali as School Holiday
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Michael G. Miller
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1513
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2017
Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- 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 Diwali school holiday
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 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 children, 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.
3. The school authorities of every qualified school district are hereby authorized and directed to cause all public schools within such district to be closed on Lakshmi Puja, during the festival of Diwali.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01279-01-7
S. 1513 2
§ 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 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 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.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the Diwali 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 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, 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 cultural diversity and the significance of its South-Asian community. This recognition is already afforded to other ethnic and religious groups in New York.
Legislative history
New bill.
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 act on its effective date may be promulgated and taken, respectively, on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.