California Governor Gavin Newsom
Sacramento: The California State Legislature has passed Assembly Bill (AB) 395, a landmark measure aimed at promoting greater religious and cultural inclusivity by requiring state officials to consider important holidays, including the Hindu festival Deepawali, when scheduling public meetings and major academic events.
Authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, the bill passed both chambers of the State Legislature with unanimous bipartisan support.
AB 395 seeks to address scheduling conflicts that have long forced Californian families to choose between religious observance and participation in education and civic life. Such conflicts have arisen when public meetings, graduations and other significant events are scheduled on holidays including Deepawali, Rosh Hashanah and the Feast of the Nativity.
Under the legislation, state agencies would be required to make a good-faith, reasonable effort to avoid scheduling public meetings on important religious, cultural or ancestral holidays. Public colleges and universities would follow the same standard for major academic milestones, including graduation ceremonies and the first day of classes.
The bill also encourages local governments and K-12 school districts to adopt similar practices to promote religious and cultural inclusivity across California.
“California is immensely proud of our diversity, and Californians of all faiths and backgrounds should be able to fully participate in public life,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel. He said the legislation would help prevent people of faith from having to choose between observing important religious days and participating in civic and educational activities.
AB 395 received support from a coalition of nearly 80 organisations representing Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Armenian and Zoroastrian communities, along with labour unions representing teachers, school employees and government workers.
David Bocarsly, CEO of Jewish California, said the legislation would address a longstanding form of exclusion and noted that it would place recognition of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and other religious holidays in California statute.
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) also welcomed the legislation. Samir Kalra, Managing Director of Policy & Programs at HAF, said Hindu families frequently face scheduling conflicts between work or school and important cultural observances such as Deepawali. He said AB 395 would establish guidelines for state entities to respect major cultural observances and help ensure that California’s government better represents and respects its diverse population.
