What's happening
This bill makes St. Patrick's Day a school holiday for public schools in New York City, requiring schools to close on March 17.
Why it matters
Recognizes the cultural significance of St. Patrick's Day. , particularly for Irish-American and other communities in New York City, by granting it the same status as other school holidays, potentially fostering a sense of inclusion and representation.
Limits the scope of the holiday to New York City public schools. (defined as districts in cities with populations over one million), so the impact is targeted and does not affect schools statewide.
Ensures that closing schools on March 17 will not negatively affect school funding or state aid calculations. , as the day will still count as a session day for attendance and state aid purposes, preventing potential financial penalties for the district.
May set a precedent for adding other culturally significant holidays. to the school calendar, which could prompt further discussions or requests from other communities for similar recognition.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make St. Patrick’s Day Holiday
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 23
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
83
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, 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 seventeenth 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-a to read as follows:
7-a. 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.
LBD00399-01-5
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.