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California could soon recognize two Islamic holidays, potentially bringing Muslim state workers more accommodations to celebrate.
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Assembly Bill 2017, spearheaded by Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, looks to add Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to a list of state holidays. The bill would allow state workers to use holiday credits to take off work.
“California’s workforce reflects the incredible diversity of our state, and our holiday policies should reflect that,” Haney wrote in a statement. “This bill gives state workers more flexibility to use paid time they already have to observe important religious and cultural holidays.”
Haney’s bill passed the Assembly 64-1 in late May and is currently before the state Senate. If the Senate approves the bill before the legislative session concludes Monday, it would go to Gov. Gavin Newsom for consideration.
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha celebrate the end of Ramadan and the Prophet Ibrahim, respectively. Oussama Mokeddem, legislative and government affairs director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations California, said the holidays’ traditions can vary depending on the region but are commonly celebrated with family and friends.
“In America, one of the traditions that have been established here for Muslims, regardless of where they originate from, is that people congregate in mosques and pray together,” he said. “They usually have celebrations where there are games for the kids and (food).”
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Missing these holidays can be disappointing, said Hala Hijazi, the founder of Muslim Impact Council. Earlier in her career, when she worked for the city of San Francisco, Hijazi said she missed the holidays — something she wants to help prevent happening to state workers.
“It was really painful to not be with my family,” she said. “We have a tradition (for Eid al-Fitr) of going to lunch right after the service … this is the time we give gifts to the children, and I wouldn’t be able to do that.”
The proposed bill also allows community colleges and public schools to close for the holidays. Roughly 1% of Californians are Muslim, according to the Pew Research Center, which is around 400,000 people.
Hijazi said she supports AB 2017’s language because it “has more teeth” compared to other states, specifically pointing to Washington, which was the first state to recognize the holidays. California gives state workers the option to use paid holiday credit whereas Washington allows unpaid time off.
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