"This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 268, which places Diwali - also known as Deepavali and the Hindu "Festival of Lights" - on the list of officially observed state holidays. The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2026. Diwali falls on Oct. 20, but the date varies each year, similar to Lunar New Year, and is based on the Hindu lunar calendar."
"Under the new law, community colleges and public schools can close on Diwali. State employees can also elect to take the day off; certain community colleges and public school employees will get time off with pay on the holiday. Diwali is a five-day celebration that marks the beginning of the new year in the Hindu calendar, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. Historically, festivities occur after the year's last harvest in either October or November."
California added Diwali to its official list of statewide holidays under Assembly Bill 268, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The holiday becomes the 12th state holiday, joining Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day. Community colleges and public schools can close on Diwali, and state employees may elect to take the day off; certain community college and public school employees will receive paid leave. Diwali is a five-day Festival of Lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, typically occurring in October or November based on the Hindu lunar calendar. California follows Pennsylvania and Connecticut in official recognition.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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