STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A New York state assemblymember is proposing legislation to make September 11 a New York public holiday.
Brooklyn Democrat William Colton introduced the bill in January.
If passed, September 11 would be added into the public holiday roster — available in the general construction law, personal property law, transportation law, and vehicle and traffic law — as Remembrance Day.
“It’s hard to imagine, given the lives that were lost and the damage that was done to New York City and to the country as a whole, that we have not yet designated the anniversary of 9/11 as a public holiday, officially making it a time of remembrance and mourning,” Colton said in a written statement. “While 25 years have passed since that fateful day, and many of today’s New Yorkers were not yet born when the heinous attacks occurred, it is important that we do everything we can to remember what happened, to pay tribute to the heroes and victims of that day, and to make sure that, no matter how much time has gone by, we never forget.”
His legislation comes just months ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of thousands.
“Even though the attack was a quarter of a century ago, it continues to impact our city and state,” Colton continued, “as an increasing number of those exposed to the toxins at Ground Zero continue to sicken and die. Making 9/11 a public holiday across the state will help ensure that, into the future, we continue to remember what happened on that terrible day, allowing us to recognize all those who were directly impacted that day, and in the years since.”
If enacted, September 11 would be considered a business holiday — meaning, New York government offices would be closed.