California Legislature Passes Bills Protecting Religious Liberties
By Elaine Pasquini
Photos by Phil Pasquini
Sacramento: On September 15, 2023, three bills safeguarding the civil rights and religious liberties of all Californians, sponsored by the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), passed through their final stages of the California State Legislature.
SB309, authored by Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), aims to create a statewide policy ensuring the right to religious headwear, clothing and grooming for those in California’s carceral system. Currently, the provision is only applied inconsistently throughout the state and does not meet the heightened protections under federal law.
SB461, authored by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward), aims to allow state employees to use an allotted eight hours of holiday credit for holidays related to an employee’s religion, culture or heritage. Presently, the time may only be used for certain predetermined holidays.
AB1503, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose), seeks to grant students in grades K-12 a full day of excused absence time per semester for religious purposes. At this time, these students are only allotted four hours per semester for religious purposes.
“These legislative victories are a testament to the power of advocacy and collaboration in advancing justice,” CAIR-CA Policy and Government Affairs Manager Nazeehah Khan said in a statement. “Each bill’s passage through the State Legislature is an important step towards protecting against discrimination and ensuring that all Californians can freely practice their religious beliefs without fear or prejudice. We thank Senator Cortese, Senator Wahab, Assemblymember Lee and the legislature for their continued commitment to inclusion and equity to all, and we urge Governor Newsom to enact all three bills and stand with California’s religious minorities.”
All three bills have been sent to Governor Gavin Newsom for his signature to enact the measures into California State law.
(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
