Newsom Signs Eid Holidays Into California State Law

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation formally recognizing Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as state holidays, making California the second state after Washington to adopt statewide recognition of both Muslim holidays. The measure, Assembly Bill 2017, adds the two observances to California’s list of state holidays and expands the options available to public institutions and employees when the holidays are observed.

Under AB 2017, public schools and colleges may close for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and state employees may be eligible to observe the holidays. The law does not require schools or private businesses to shut down, and courts must remain open. In practical terms, the bill creates formal statewide recognition without imposing a blanket closure requirement across California.

The new law places California among a small number of states that have moved beyond local accommodation and into statewide statutory recognition of Muslim holy days. Supporters view that step as part of a broader effort to strengthen religious freedom and make state policy more reflective of California’s diverse population.

Related religious observance bills also reached the governor

Before AB 2017 was signed, Newsom also had other religion-related measures awaiting action. Among them was AB 395, which would codify Jewish holidays including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur into state law and require state agencies and facilities such as schools to make every reasonable effort to avoid scheduling significant functions on those days. Another bill, AB 1763, would ensure that K-12 students can receive excused absences for religious holidays.

Although those bills reached the governor before AB 2017, Newsom did not sign them until Wednesday, shortly before the midnight deadline. That sequence drew criticism from some Republican opponents, who argued that the timing suggested Muslim holiday recognition was being prioritized ahead of measures affecting Jewish observance.

Elizabeth Barcohana, chair of Jewish engagement for the California Republican Party, told Cleveland Jewish News, also known as JNS, that the order of signing sent a political message as Newsom looks toward a possible 2028 presidential run. She also argued that the new Eid law could grant Muslim holidays advantages not extended to other faiths, including the possibility of school closures.

Barcohana further warned that the legislation created what she described as special protections unavailable to other religious observances. Her criticism focused not only on timing, but also on what she saw as unequal treatment in how the state handles religious accommodation.

Others rejected that interpretation. David Bocarsly, CEO of Jewish California, said he was not troubled by the order in which the governor signed the bills because all three ultimately became law. He said his organization was pleased to see what it viewed as important religious freedom protections enacted, including the first-time recognition of three Jewish holidays in California statute.

Bocarsly also praised Newsom for signing SB 1387, a separate measure recognizing Jewish identity as an ethnicity. His comments framed the governor’s actions as part of a wider package of religion-related legislation rather than a competition among faith communities.

A spokesperson for Newsom’s office said the issue should not be treated as a ranking of religions. In a statement to Fox News Digital, the spokesperson said the governor signs bills based on the substance of the legislation and the constitutional process governing when measures are received and acted upon. The office added that California is proud to continue strengthening religious freedom, a principle it linked to the nation’s founding values. Fox News Digital said it had reached out to Newsom’s office for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response.