A bill that has passed the New York State Senate and is

A bill that has passed the New York State Senate and is headed for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s expected signature would require consideration of school closure if a “considerable proportion” of students are likely to be absent, and that means that the Lunar New Year will become a school holiday, reports Sam Spokony in Downtown Express.

“Passage of this bill to push the Lunar New Year school holiday is proof that momentum is building, and that this community’s importance is greater across the city every single day,” said State Senator Daniel Squadron, who sponsored the bill, at a press conference May 16 outside Chinatown’s P.S. 124, on Division St.

“And we’re confident that we’re going to get Lunar New Year as a school holiday permanently,” he added, “so that everyone in this community knows that their holiday tradition is part of what our school system respects.”

The state Senate’s passage of the bill, which was approved by the state Assembly in February, was cheered by representatives of the Chinese community. Wellington Chen, executive director of the Chinatown Partnership, said the move had been a long time coming.

Chen rounded out Friday’s remarks by verbally taking “a deep bow” on behalf of the Chinese community.

“We’re deeply grateful for all this,” he said.

For more on the bill, go to the original article.