California AB 268: Board of State and Community Corrections.

Bill Text

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 
 Bill Text - AB-268 State holidays: Diwali. 

• 

• skip to content

• home

• accessibility

• FAQ

• feedback

• sitemap

• login

• x

 Quick Search:

 Bill Number
 Bill Keyword

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• Home

• Bill Information

• California Law

• Publications

• Other Resources

• My Subscriptions

• My Favorites

• Bill Information
 >>

• Bill Search
 >>

• Text

 Bill Text

 PDF2
 Bill PDF

 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 10/06/25 - Chaptered
 09/15/25 - Enrolled
 06/13/25 - Amended Senate
 03/13/25 - Amended Assembly
 01/17/25 - Introduced

 AB-268 State holidays: Diwali. (2025-2026)

 Text

 >>

 Votes

 >>

 History
 >>

 Bill Analysis
 >>

 Today's Law As Amended
 >>

 Compare Versions
 >>

 Status
 >>

 Comments To Author

 >>

 Track Bill
 >>

 Add To My Favorites
 >>

 SHARE THIS:

 Date Published: 10/07/2025 02:00 PM

AB268:v95#DOCUMENTBill Start

 Assembly Bill

 No. 268

 CHAPTER 358

An act to amend Section 135 of the Code of Civil Procedure, to amend Sections 37220.7, 45203, 79020, and 88203 of the Education Code, and to amend Sections 6700, 19853, and 19853.1 of the Government Code, relating to Diwali.

 [
 Approved by

 Governor
 October 06, 2025.

 Filed with

 Secretary of State
 October 06, 2025.
 ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 268, Kalra.
 State holidays: Diwali. 

Existing law designates specific days as holidays in this state. Existing law designates holidays on which community colleges and public schools are authorized to close pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between the governing board and represented employees, including “Native American Day” on the 4th Friday in September. Existing law entitles state employees, with specified exceptions, and authorizes certain community college and public school employees, to be given time off with pay for specified holidays, as specified.

This bill would add “Diwali” to the list of state holidays. The bill would authorize community colleges and public schools to close on “Diwali,” as specified. The bill would authorize state employees to elect to take, and would authorize certain community college and public school employees to be given, time off with pay in
 recognition of “Diwali,” as specified. The bill would authorize public schools and educational institutions throughout the state to include exercises acknowledging and celebrating the meaning and importance of Diwali, as specified.

Existing law adopts state holidays as judicial holidays, with certain exceptions, including Admission Day and Columbus Day.

This bill would add “Diwali” to the list of holidays that are excluded from designation as a judicial holiday.

This bill would make related findings and declarations.

Digest Key

 Vote:
 MAJORITY 
 Appropriation:
 NO 
 Fiscal Committee:
 YES 
 Local Program:
 NO 

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Diwali, a festival of great significance to Indian Americans and South Asian Americans, is celebrated annually by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains throughout the United States and across the globe.

(b) The word “Diwali” is a shortened version of the Sanskrit term “Deepavali,” which means “a row of lamps.”

(c) Diwali, one of the world’s oldest continuing religious holidays, brings together families, friends, and communities here in California, the United States, and around the globe in goodwill, peace, and a shared sense of renewal.

(d) Diwali is a festival of lights during which celebrants light small oil lamps, place them around the home, and pray for health, knowledge, and peace.

(e) Hindu celebrants of Diwali believe that the rows of lamps symbolize the light of knowledge and truth within the individual that signifies the destruction of all negative qualities such as violence, anger, jealousy, ignorance, greed, fear, or suffering; Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil.

(f) For Sikhs, Diwali coincides with Bandi Chhor Divas, meaning Day of Liberation, marking the day that the sixth founding Sikh Guru, revered teacher Guru Hargobind, was released from captivity by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir after his wrongful imprisonment.

(g) For Jains, Diwali marks the anniversary of
 the attainment of moksha, or liberation, by Mahavira, the last of the Tirthankaras, the great teachers of Jain Dharma, at the end of his life in 527 B.C.

(h) For Buddhists, especially Newar Buddhists, Diwali is commemorated as Ashok Vijayadashami, the day the great Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism as his faith.

SEC. 2.

 Section 135 of the Code of Civil Procedure is amended to read:

135.

 Every full day designated as a holiday by Section 6700 of the Government Code, including that Thursday of November declared by the President to be Thanksgiving Day, is a judicial holiday, except the date corresponding with the second new moon following the winter solstice, or the third new moon following the