Plain English Breakdown
The bill mentions a civil action for injunctive relief but does not specify damages or penalties in the summary text provided.
AB-395: Avoiding Scheduling Conflicts with Religious and Cultural Holidays
This law requires schools, colleges, state agencies, and encourages local governments to try not to schedule important events on days when people cannot attend because of religious or cultural holidays.
What This Bill Does
- Requires K-12 school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools starting in the 2026–27 school year to consider avoiding scheduling the first day of class or high school graduation on dates known to conflict with ritual observances of religious, cultural, or ancestral holidays.
- Requires these same K-12 entities to actively seek input from the affected community when deciding which dates to avoid.
- Requires California Community Colleges and California State University campuses starting in the 2026–27 academic year to make every good faith effort to avoid scheduling institutional events on dates known to conflict with ritual observances of religious, cultural, or ancestral holidays.
- Requests that these higher education institutions seek input from student and faculty organizations when deciding which dates to avoid.
- Requires the University of California system only if its Regents choose to make this bill applicable; it requests them to follow similar guidelines for avoiding scheduling conflicts during ritual observances.
- Requires state agencies to make every good faith effort to avoid holding meetings, conferences, or other functions on days known to conflict with religious, cultural, or ancestral holidays such as Eid al-Adha, Rosh Hashanah, and Diwali.
- Encourages local government legislative bodies to consider avoiding scheduling meetings, conferences, or other functions during these same holiday observances.
Who It Names or Affects
- Governing boards of school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools
- California Community Colleges and California State University campuses
- The University of California system (if adopted by its Regents)
- State agencies that hold meetings or conferences
- Legislative bodies of local agencies
Terms To Know
- Ritual observance
- A religious, cultural, or ancestral holiday where people follow specific traditions.
- Institutional event
- An official activity held by a college or university that is part of its academic calendar.
- Good faith effort
- A sincere and honest attempt to do something, even if it cannot be guaranteed.
Limits and Unknowns
- The law asks schools and agencies to consider or make good faith efforts, but does not force them to change every date.
- The University of California is only requested to follow these rules; they are required by this bill only if the Regents act to make it applicable.
- Local government bodies are encouraged to avoid conflicts, but there is no requirement for them to do so.