Bill > S4022

Introduced Session

This bill provides that full-time State employees would be able to be absent from work for the purposes of observing Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, without that absence counting toward their administrative leave allotment. The bill also explicitly requires that a student's absence from school due to the observance of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha will be an excused absence for the purposes of recording attendance. Muslims celebrate two main holidays every lunar year, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Fitr, which means "festival of the breaking of the fast," is celebrated first at the conclusion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Muslims in the United States observe this month of sacrifice and contemplation by fasting, reading the Holy Quran, and participating in charity work, worship, and emphasizing self-discipline. Eid al-Adha, the "feast of the sacrifice," is celebrated two months later and commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac. Eid al-Adha is the more sacred of the two Eids, and often coincides with the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage, an annual Islamic pilgrimage in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Under the bill, one additional day of administrative leave per calendar year would be granted to an employee if that employee is absent from work in observance of Eid al-Fitr. Similarly, one additional day of administrative leave per calendar year would be granted to an employee if that employee is absent from work in observance of or Eid al-Adha. This bill would require a school district to record an excused absence for a student who is absent from school due to the observance of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha. The bill also provides that a student absence because of the observance of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha would not be included on any transcript or application or employment form or any similar form on which information concerning a pupil's attendance record is requested. Further, if the student presents a written excuse signed by a parent or guardian, the bill provides that a student absent from school because of the observance of the two holidays would: (1) not be deprived of any award or eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award due to the absence; and (2) would be given the opportunity to take an alternate test or examination if they miss a test or examination due to the absence from school.

Committee Categories

Joe Cryan (D)*,  Andrew Zwicker (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee (on 01/14/2025)

Official Document