LOS ANGELES , CALIFORNIA, October 7, 2025 (Santa Maria Times): California has become the third U.S. state to designate Diwali — the Hindu “Festival of Lights” — as an official statewide holiday. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law Tuesday to go into effect on Jan. 1. It would authorize public schools and community colleges to close on Diwali. State employees could elect to take the day off and public school students will get an excused absence to celebrate the holiday. The new law recognizes that Diwali is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. Pennsylvania was the first U.S. state to make Diwali a statewide holiday in 2024, followed by Connecticut earlier this year.

Assembly member Ash Kalra, a Democrat from San Jose who coauthored the bill with Darshana Patel, an assembly member from San Diego, said he grew up celebrating the festival with family members, but it was an experience that was isolated from the rest of his life. “To have South Asian children be able to proudly celebrate and share it with others is a significant moment,” he said. San Jose, a city in California’s Silicon Valley, has a sizable Indian American population. According to a 2025 Pew survey, 960,000 out of the nation’s Indian population of 4.9 million — or 20% — live in California. Hindu American organizations, including the Hindu American Foundation and the Coalition of Hindus in North America, advocated for the law. Diwali falls on Oct. 20 this year. Celebrants light rows of lamps to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. The holiday is celebrated with festive gatherings, fireworks displays, feasts and prayer.

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