What's happening
This bill makes St. Patrick's Day a public school holiday in New York City and ensures it does not affect school session calculations.
Why it matters
Recognizes the cultural significance of St. Patrick's Day by officially closing all New York City public schools on March 17th, highlighting the city's acknowledgment of its Irish-American community and traditions.
Limits the holiday specifically to New York City public schools (those in cities with over one million inhabitants), meaning the change will not apply statewide, focusing instead on the unique demographics and cultural history of NYC.
Ensures that closing schools for St. Patrick's Day will not negatively impact school funding or minimum instructional day requirements, so districts will not be penalized for observing the holiday.
Sets a clear mandate for school officials to close schools on this day, reducing ambiguity and standardizing the observance across the city’s public school system.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
School authorities in cities with at least one million residents
They would be required to close all district public schools on March 17 for St. Patrick’s Day.
Public school students and families in qualifying districts
They would have a school holiday on March 17 regardless of the city’s Irish-American population share.
State education commissioner
The bill would require the commissioner to disregard reductions resulting from the holiday in specified school-session calculations and, if necessary, count it as a session day.
Headline styles
Make St. Patrick's Day School Holiday
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 23
2 Co-sponsors
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.
Make St. Patrick's Day School Holiday
In Senate Committee · New York City Education · Sponsor Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1727
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 16, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, COLTON, COOK -- read once and referred 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. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03718-01-9
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.