Assembly BillIntroduced
A 5540: Requires all schools have a calming space for students for praying, meditating, and calming themselves.
What A 5540 does, verified January 10, 2026
The bill aims to establish a calming space in every school within the state, where students can engage in activities such as praying, meditating, or calming themselves. This calming space is to be developed and implemented by the board of education or trustees, and the city school district, or the chancellor, in the case of New York City. The policies and procedures for establishing and maintaining these spaces are to be created and implemented by the respective governing bodies. The bill takes effect on the first of July next succeeding the date it becomes a law.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: referred to education (2026-01-07)Alert me
Quick answers about A 5540
- What is the current status of A 5540?
- As of January 10, 2026, A 5540 is recorded as "Introduced": it has been introduced and is waiting for its first committee hearing or floor vote. The last recorded action, on January 7, 2026, was "referred to education".
- Did A 5540 pass?
- Not yet. A 5540 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
- Who wrote A 5540, and where is it now?
- A 5540 was authored by Asm. Chantel Jackson. Its committee of record is Assembly Education.
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions2 total · showing 2
| Jan. 07, 2026 | referred to education |
| Feb. 14, 2025 | referred to education |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 14, 2025 · 263 words
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5540 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 14, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JACKSON -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring all schools have a calming space for students The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 409-o 2 to read as follows: 3 § 409-o. Calming space. The board of education or trustees of every 4 school district or, in the case of the city school district of New York, 5 the chancellor, and every board of cooperative educational services, 6 charter school and nonpublic school within the state shall develop poli- 7 cies and procedures requiring that there is a room dedicated as a calm- 8 ing space available to students for activities including, but not limit- 9 ed to, praying, meditating, and calming themselves. 10 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding 11 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the 12 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary 13 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized 14 to be made and completed on or before such effective date. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04024-01-5
Text of A 5540 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions