Newsom Signs Bill Making Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha State Holidays
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 2017, formally recognizing the Muslim holidays Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as state holidays. California becomes the second state in the nation, after Washington, to recognize both holidays statewide.
Under the law, public schools and colleges may close on the holidays and state employees are eligible to observe them. Schools and businesses are not required to close, and courts must remain open.
Before signing AB 2017, Newsom had additional bills on his desk protecting other religious observances, including AB 395, which would codify protections for Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and AB 1763, which would guarantee K-12 students excused absences for religious holidays. Republicans criticized Newsom for appearing to prioritize the Muslim-holiday bills over equal treatment for Jewish holidays. Newsom signed those bills on Wednesday, ahead of the midnight deadline.
Newsom, in the final stretch of his tenure and widely seen as a potential presidential candidate, told reporters in Sacramento on Wednesday that he has never been contacted by federal investigators since a federal probe into him and his wife was announced three months ago: "I know nothing more than you know."
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片来源：Openverse · USDAgov（Public Domain）
