Bill > A04501

This bill amends the New York education law to protect students at state-funded higher education institutions (including SUNY and CUNY) from academic penalties when observing certain religious and cultural holidays. Specifically, the bill requires that students who provide written notice at least three business days in advance can miss classes or academic activities for holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Passover, Ramadan, Diwali, and Vesak, among others, without facing grade reductions or attendance penalties. Educational institutions must provide students with equivalent opportunities to make up missed exams, assignments, or work requirements at no additional cost. The bill also mandates that institutions inform students of these rights and that faculty and administrators must act in good faith, ensuring no student faces adverse consequences for observing these holidays. If a student believes an institution has not complied with these provisions, they have the right to file an action in the supreme court of the county where the institution is located to enforce their rights.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4501