California designates Diwali as statewide holiday
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 7, 2025 signed a bill making Diwali an official statewide holiday, effective Jan. 1 (2026). The law authorizes public schools and community colleges to close on Diwali, gives public school students excused‑absence status, allows state employees to elect to take the day off, and explicitly recognizes that the festival is observed by Hindus as well as Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. California is the third state to adopt such a designation after Pennsylvania (2024) and Connecticut (earlier in 2025).
Politics
Education
📌 Key Facts
- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill on Oct. 7, 2025; it goes into effect Jan. 1 (2026).
- The law permits public schools and community colleges to close and provides excused absences for students celebrating Diwali (Oct. 20 in 2025).
- California becomes the third U.S. state to designate Diwali as a statewide holiday, following Pennsylvania (2024) and Connecticut (2025); about 960,000 of the nation's 4.9 million Indian residents (≈20%) live in California (2025 Pew survey).