CALIFORNIA: California has formally recognized Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha under state law, giving eligible state employees and public institutions greater flexibility to observe the two major Muslim holidays.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2017 on Sept. 27, adding the two Islamic holidays to California’s list of state holidays. The legislation was filed with the Secretary of State the same day.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, while Eid al-Adha is observed during Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Both holidays are widely observed by Muslims around the world.
The law does not give all California workers two additional paid days off. Instead, eligible state employees can use eight hours of vacation, annual leave, compensating time off or personal holiday credit to observe Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, subject to the law’s conditions.
The legislation also allows public schools and community colleges to close for the holidays under locally approved arrangements.
However, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha will not be added to California’s list of judicial holidays.
Assembly member Matt Haney, who authored the legislation, said California is home to one of the largest Muslim communities in the United States and that its religious traditions deserve recognition.
The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which supported the bill, welcomed the legislation, saying it would make it easier for Muslim students and employees to observe Eid while meeting school and workplace commitments.
CAIR-CA said California has more than 1 million Muslim residents and called the legislation an important step toward recognizing the community’s religious observances.
