California Democrats are advancing legislation that would formally recognize two Muslim holy days as state holidays and create special authorization for public schools to teach about their history.
Meanwhile, nearly 12 million Catholics live in California, yet the state’s education code contains no comparable holiday-specific provision inviting officials to develop model curriculum exercises addressing the religious significance of Christmas, Easter or Good Friday.
Assembly Bill 2017, introduced by San Francisco Democrat Assemblyman Matt Haney, would add Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to California’s list of official state holidays.
The legislation passed the State Assembly in May by a lopsided 64-1 vote. Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio was the lone “no” vote.
The official legislative record shows AB 2017 was amended in the Senate on August 27 and ordered to a third reading on August 28.
It must still pass the Senate and return to the Assembly for concurrence before it can be delivered to Newsom.
If enacted, AB 2017 would:
- Designate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as California state holidays.
- Permit K-12 public schools and community colleges to close for the holidays if local governing boards and employee unions agree.
- Allow state employees to use existing vacation, annual leave or compensatory time to observe the holidays.
- Allow public schools to conduct exercises “exploring the history” of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
- Authorize the State Board of Education to develop a model curriculum guide related specifically to the two Muslim holidays.
The bill would not automatically close schools, courts, government offices or private businesses.
Earlier versions contained even more controversial language permitting schools to conduct exercises “acknowledging and celebrating the meaning and importance” of the two Islamic holidays.