What's happening
This bill makes St. Patrick's Day a school holiday for all public schools in New York City.
Why it matters
Recognizes and formalizes St. Patrick's Day as a cultural holiday. for New York City's public school system, reflecting the significant Irish-American presence and influence in the city.
Limits the holiday to school districts in cities with over one million residents. , meaning only New York City public schools are affected, not those in smaller cities or elsewhere in the state.
Ensures that closing schools for St. Patrick's Day does not penalize districts in state funding calculations. the day will still count as a required instructional day for funding and legal purposes, shielding NYC public schools from financial or compliance repercussions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make St. Patrick’s Day School Holiday
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.574
- Referred to education
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 44–15
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
Show 2 earlier actions
- 1st report cal.366
- 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.
Make St. Patrick's Day School Holiday
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Stacey Pheffer Amato
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1933
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2017
Introduced by Sens. AVELLA, ADDABBO, GOLDEN -- 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 St. Patrick's Day 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. St. Patrick's Day school holiday. 1. The 17th day of March, commonly known as St. Patrick's day, shall be a school holiday for all public schools in a qualified school district.
2. A qualified school district, for purposes of this section, shall mean a city school district of a city having a population of one million or more inhabitants.
3. The school authorities of a qualified school district are hereby authorized and directed to cause all public schools within such district to be closed on St. Patrick's day.
§ 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 St. Patrick's day 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.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01184-01-7
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 St. Patrick's Day school holiday
Purpose
To establish St. Patrick's Day as a school holiday in the city of New York
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill amends the Education Law by adding a new section 3204a, which provides for a school holiday for St. Patrick's Day in a city school district having a population of one million or more inhabitants
Section 2 of this bill adds a new subdivision 7-c to section 3604 of the Education Law, which states that the Education Commissioner shall disregard any reduction in attendance resulting from observance of St. Patrick's Day and may be counted as a session day if necessary.
Section 3 provides that 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 provisions of this act on its effective date may be promulgated and taken, respectively, on or before such effective date.
Justification
St. Patrick's Day is the oldest cultural celebration in the Irish-American community. It is a traditional time of reunion and celebration with family and friends, as well as a holy day of obligation for Irish Catholics. However, public schools do not close for that day and education authorities have even gone so far as to use the evening of this day for parent-teacher conferences. This places an unfair burden on school children, parents, and teachers within the Irish-American community. It is impractical to keep public schools open in Irish-American communities when there is a significant number of students and instructors who take the day off.
In 2014, the Governor approved legislation (Chapter 491) directing school districts to determine whether school session should be held on a day where a religious or cultural holiday would lead to a waste of educational resources due to significant absenteeism. Considering that a large Irish-American population in New York City is impacted by St. Patrick's Day, schools should be closed for the observance of this holiday, or if school is in session, a child's inability to attend school on this holiday should be disregarded.
Legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
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 provisions 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.