Diwali is now a California state holiday. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 268 on October 26, 2025. The bill will go into effect on January 1, 2026. Beginning this year, public schools and community colleges will be closed on the main day of Diwali, which will be Monday, October 20, 2026. Also starting this year, state employees will be able to take the day off with pay.
California has one of the largest Hindu populations in the United States. According to the Pew Research Center, 2% of adults in California identify as Hindu. That is about 20% of the Hindu population in the United States.
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in various other religions. The dates change every year, as the Hindu calendar is lunisolar while the usual Gregorian calendar is solar. It is five days, with the main day being the third day, Lakshmi Pujan, which is the peak of festivities for the holiday.
Diwali is also observed by other South Asian religions. Those include Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism. All of these religions have different stories and traditions surrounding Diwali. But they all share similar themes of light becoming triumphant over darkness.
California is the third state to make this decision. Pennsylvania was the first state to do so when Governor Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill 402 into law on October 21, 2024. Connecticut was the second state to pass legislation allowing this, with Governor Ned Lamont signing Senate Bill 1519 on June 10, 2025.
Vachan Gorty, a freshman at Claremont High School who celebrates Diwali, divulged his thoughts on what he thought about Bill 268 coming into effect.
“I’m actually kind of stoked because I can’t believe that [Diwali] is going to become a U.S. tradition,” Gorty said. “I’m pretty excited for a lot of people to celebrate it.”
Ash Kalra, an Assemblymember representing California’s twenty-fifth Assembly district, sponsored the bill. In a press release, Kalra shared his thoughts on the bill’s passing.
“I am thrilled AB 268 has been approved by the Legislature with strong bipartisan support,” Kalra said. “California is home to the largest population of Indian Americans, and designating Diwali as an official state holiday will uplift its message to the hundreds of thousands of Californians who celebrate and help introduce it to many throughout our diverse state. Diwali brings communities together with the message of goodwill, peace, and a shared sense of renewal. California should embrace Diwali and its diversity, not keep it hidden in darkness.”
