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SACRAMENTO — In a historic step toward making sure no government employee ever has to pick between a paycheck and a ceremonial goat, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Monday recognizing Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in state law. California is now only the second state to treat the Islamic holy days as official observances, trailing Washington, which got there first in 2025 and is presumably already printing the commemorative coloring sheets.
Eid al-Adha, or the “Festival of the Sacrifice,” traditionally involves the ritual slaughter of livestock, typically a sheep, goat, cow, or camel, in commemoration of Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son. However, if Israelis are available, there's no telling what will happen.
Eid al-Fitr, the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” marks the end of Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar and the start of a new warring season. State officials stressed that the new law does not require anyone to bring a camel to the capitol rotunda, though they also did not explicitly forbid it.
Assembly Bill 2017, authored by Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) and co-authored by state Sen. Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward), allows state and school employees to use existing personal holiday credit or leave time to observe Eid. It also authorizes K-12 schools and community colleges to close for the holidays through locally negotiated agreements, which is Sacramento’s way of saying the district can cancel class if the union and the principal can agree on whose turn it is to be culturally sensitive.
“California is home to one of the largest and most vibrant Muslim communities in the country,” Haney previously said. “No student should have to choose between celebrating one of the holiest days of their faith and showing up to school, and no worker should feel they have to sacrifice their religious observance.”
The bill was co-sponsored by the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA). In 2007, federal prosecutors named CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror-financing case. CAIR was never charged and has denied wrongdoing, but that's just good ole taqiyya.
Assembly Bill 2017, authored by Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) and co-authored by state Sen. Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward), allows state and school employees to use existing personal holiday credit or leave time to observe Eid. It also authorizes K-12 schools and community colleges to close for the holidays through locally negotiated agreements, which is Sacramento’s way of saying the district can cancel class if the union and the principal can agree on whose turn it is to be culturally sensitive.
“California is home to one of the largest and most vibrant Muslim communities in the country,” Haney previously said. “No student should have to choose between celebrating one of the holiest days of their faith and showing up to school, and no worker should feel they have to sacrifice their religious observance.”
The bill was co-sponsored by the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA). In 2007, federal prosecutors named CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror-financing case. CAIR was never charged and has denied wrongdoing, but that's just good ole taqiyya.
A federal judge later ruled the government should not have publicly listed the group, but found “ample evidence to establish the associations” of CAIR with the Holy Land Foundation and Hamas. Lawmakers apparently decided that was enough of a resume to help write state holiday policy.
“We commend Gov. Newsom for signing AB 2017 and sending a powerful message that amid growing hostility, California stands firmly with its Muslim community,” CAIR-CA CEO Hussam Ayloush said in a statement. “Together, we’ve achieved a historic win for California Muslims.”
In an article that media outlet The Daily Wire previously reported, the bill cleared the state Assembly by a 64-1 vote in May, which in California politics is the closest thing to a unanimous ovation short of a resolution praising kale. The legislation drew opposition over a provision authorizing the State Board of Education to develop optional curriculum for classroom activities marking the holidays, a phrase that has never once produced a worksheet anyone would describe as optional.
Greg Burt, vice president of the California Family Council, argued the measure crossed the line from teaching about religion to promoting it. He told Fox News Digital it amounted to schools “encouraging the celebration of a religious holiday.” The council, which says it represents more than 2,000 churches statewide, also questioned where the state would draw the line on recognizing additional religious holidays.
“We commend Gov. Newsom for signing AB 2017 and sending a powerful message that amid growing hostility, California stands firmly with its Muslim community,” CAIR-CA CEO Hussam Ayloush said in a statement. “Together, we’ve achieved a historic win for California Muslims.”
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| AI Generated |
In an article that media outlet The Daily Wire previously reported, the bill cleared the state Assembly by a 64-1 vote in May, which in California politics is the closest thing to a unanimous ovation short of a resolution praising kale. The legislation drew opposition over a provision authorizing the State Board of Education to develop optional curriculum for classroom activities marking the holidays, a phrase that has never once produced a worksheet anyone would describe as optional.
Greg Burt, vice president of the California Family Council, argued the measure crossed the line from teaching about religion to promoting it. He told Fox News Digital it amounted to schools “encouraging the celebration of a religious holiday.” The council, which says it represents more than 2,000 churches statewide, also questioned where the state would draw the line on recognizing additional religious holidays.
Sacramento’s unofficial answer appears to be: keep going until the school calendar looks like a United Nations buffet.
The two Islamic holidays join Diwali and Lunar New Year among community-specific observances California has formally recognized in recent years. Officials have not yet announced which animal, lamp, or dragon will be featured in next year’s inclusivity packet, but sources say the State Board of Education is already workshopping discussion questions that carefully avoid asking why some holidays get lesson plans and others get a polite nod and a substitute teacher.
The two Islamic holidays join Diwali and Lunar New Year among community-specific observances California has formally recognized in recent years. Officials have not yet announced which animal, lamp, or dragon will be featured in next year’s inclusivity packet, but sources say the State Board of Education is already workshopping discussion questions that carefully avoid asking why some holidays get lesson plans and others get a polite nod and a substitute teacher.
Mazel tov.
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