US Judge Blocks California's Diwali Holiday Legislation

The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge William Shubb, targeted Assembly Bill 268, which added Diwali to the list of state holidays. The judge found that the law's language, which described Diwali as a 'religious holiday' and encouraged state employees to 'celebrate' it, improperly endorsed a specific faith, breaching the separation of church and state.

The case was brought by a coalition of civil liberties groups and secular organizations, who argued that the law's explicit religious references made it unconstitutional. The state had defended the law as a recognition of California's diverse cultural heritage, but the judge disagreed, noting that the law went beyond mere acknowledgment and actively promoted religious observance.

The decision does not remove Diwali from the state's holiday calendar entirely. Instead, it invalidates the portions of the law that mandated the holiday be observed as a religious occasion, leaving the state to decide whether to rework the legislation to focus on Diwali's cultural aspects.

Governor Gavin Newsom's office has not yet commented on the ruling, but legal experts suggest the state may appeal. If the state chooses to revise the law, it would need to strip religious language and frame Diwali as a cultural celebration, a move that could set a precedent for how other religious holidays are handled in public policy.

The ruling has sparked reactions from Indian American communities across the state, with some expressing disappointment and others calling for a revised approach that honors the festival's significance without constitutional conflict.