Establishes Diwali as a statewide school holiday

This bill designates Diwali (the 15th day of Kartika in the Hindu calendar) as a mandatory statewide school holiday, requiring all public schools to close on this date each year. It directly affects public schools across New York State by adding Diwali to the list of required non-scholastic days, alongside existing holidays like Asian Lunar New Year and legal holidays. The bill amends education law to specify that schools "shall not be in session" on Diwali, aligning with the current structure for other recognized cultural holidays. This change applies statewide, though Section 2 specifically references New York City public schools. The policy creates a consistent calendar requirement for all public school districts without altering existing transportation or instructional day rules.