NEW YORK: New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Saturday to declare the Lunar New Year a public school holiday across the state, Xinhua reported.
The legislation requires all public schools to close for the Lunar New Year holiday to allow hundreds of thousands of students of Asian descent to celebrate the festival.
"By designating Lunar New Year as an official school holiday, we are taking an important step in recognising the importance of New York's AAPI community and the rich diversity that makes New York so great," Hochul said in a statement, referring to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
"It is not just a day off from school - it is an opportunity for our children to learn about and celebrate their own or different cultures and traditions," she added.
In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Lunar New Year as an official public school holiday in New York City.
Earlier this year, the state Senate approved a measure that would allow students at university campuses to observe Lunar New Year without being penalised.
The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most important holiday for Chinese and Asians around the world. The next Lunar New Year will fall on Feb 10, 2024.
