Rep. Edward I. Koch (D.L. N.Y.), has introduced a bill to bar the holding of an election for membership on boards of Community Action Agencies funded by the federal anti-poverty program on a Sabbath day. He indicated that be was introducing his bill as a result of a recent experience in New York City in which elections for such local anti-poverty boards were scheduled for a Saturday. The NYC problem was resolved when the New York State Legislature and the New York City Council both passed legislation requiring that such anti-poverty board elections be held on a non-Sabbath day.
The Koch bill would affect such elections throughout the country. The bill, which has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, amends the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and simply provides that no election or other democratic selection procedure shall be hold on a Sabbath day which is observed by members of the poor in the area to be served by the board. The bill, which also authorizes the director of OEO to settle any disputes that might arise as to whether or not a particular day is a Sabbath day for some of the community’s members, is not expected to encounter serious obstacles in the Committee or on the House floor.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
