What's happening
This bill designates Good Friday as a public and school holiday in New York, requiring its inclusion on school calendars.
Why it matters
Formalizes Good Friday as a recognized public holiday in New York, placing it alongside other major holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, which can affect public sector operations, court schedules, and business regulations.
Mandates all public schools to close on Good Friday and explicitly labels the day as “Good Friday” on district calendars, rather than using neutral terms like “Spring Recess”; this increases the visibility of the Christian holiday and may spark discussion about religious representation in public institutions.
Ensures that schools will not be financially penalized in state aid calculations for closing on Good Friday by directing the education commissioner to count it as a school session day, protecting district funding and avoiding disruptions in school year planning.
Could set a precedent for recognizing additional religious holidays in school and government calendars, potentially influencing future debates about inclusivity and the separation of church and state.
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Who cares
Public school districts
The bill would require a Good Friday holiday and replace “Spring Recess” and similar wording with “Good Friday” in district calendars and communications that reference that day.
Public school students and families
The bill would make the Friday immediately before Easter a holiday for all public schools.
State education commissioner
The bill would require the commissioner to disregard reductions resulting from Good Friday observance in specified school-session calculations and, if necessary, count the holiday as a session day.
Christian religious communities
The bill would add Good Friday to New York’s statutory list of public holidays.
Headline styles
Make Good Friday Holiday
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
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 Good Friday Holiday
In Senate Committee · Judiciary · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3331
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the general construction law and the education law, in relation to the designation of Good Friday as a public holiday
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 24 of the general construction law, as amended by chapter 347 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
§ 24. Public holidays; half-holidays. The term public holiday includes the following days in each year: the first day of January, known as New Year's day; the third Monday of January, known as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day; the twelfth day of February, known as Lincoln's birthday; the third Monday in February, known as Washington's birthday; the Friday immediately before Easter, known as Good Friday; the last Monday in May, known as Memorial day; the second Sunday in June, known as Flag day; the fourth day of July, known as Independence day; the first Monday in September, known as Labor day; the second Monday in October, known as Columbus day; the eleventh day of November, known as Veterans' day; the fourth Thursday in November, known as Thanksgiving day; and the twentyfifth day of December, known as Christmas day, and if any of such days except Flag day is Sunday, the next day thereafter; each general election day, and each day appointed by the president of the United States or by the governor of this state as a day of general thanksgiving, general fasting and prayer, or other general religious observances. The term half-holiday includes the period from noon to midnight of each Saturday which is not a public holiday.
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3204-a to read as follows:
§ 3204-a. Good Friday school holiday. 1. The Friday immediately before Easter, commonly known as Good Friday, shall be declared a holiday for all public schools.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05938-01-9
A. 3331 2
2. The term "Good Friday" shall replace "Spring Recess" and similar terminology on all public school district calendars and communications that reference Good Friday.
§ 3. 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 the observance of Good Friday and, if necessary, such observed holiday shall be calculated as a session day.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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.