Bill Text: NY A08689 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires the observance of a 1 minute period of silent meditation at the opening of each public school day.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to education [A08689 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A08689-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8689

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    October 23, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Education

        AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to silent meditation in
          public schools

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Section  3029-a of the education law, as added by chapter
     2  1204 of the laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
     3    § 3029-a. Silent meditation in public schools.    1.  In  each  public
     4  school  classroom,  the  teacher  [in charge may, or if so authorized or
     5  directed by the board of education by which he is employed,]  shall,  at
     6  the opening of school upon every school day, [conduct] observe a [brief]
     7  one minute period of silent meditation with the participation of all the
     8  pupils therein assembled.
     9    2. The silent meditation authorized by [subsection] subdivision one of
    10  this [act] section is not intended to be, and shall not be conducted as,
    11  a religious service or exercise, but may be considered as an opportunity
    12  for silent meditation on a religious theme by those who are so disposed,
    13  or  a  moment  of silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the
    14  day.   As used in subdivision one of  this  section  the  term  "partic-
    15  ipation"  shall  be  construed to permit seated participation and not to
    16  require any pupil to stand.
    17    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.



         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01222-01-9