SB 1394 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

State holidays: Cesar Chavez Day: Farmworkers Day.

Summary

Existing law designates specific days as holidays in this state. Existing law designates holidays on which community colleges and public schools are authorized to close pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between the governing board and represented employees, including Cesar Chavez Day on March 31. Existing law entitles state employees, with specified exceptions, and authorizes certain community college and public school employees, to be given time off with pay for specified holidays, as specified. Existing law redesignates March 31 as Farmworkers Day instead of Cesar Chavez Day, and requires the Governor to annually proclaim March 31 as Farmworkers Day. This bill would remove the designation of March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day for purposes of holidays on which community colleges and public schools are authorized to close, and instead authorize community colleges and public schools to close on April 10, known as Farmworkers Day, as specified. The bill would revise the provisions related to state employees, certain community college employees, and public school employees to instead apply to Farmworkers Day, as specified. The bill would also make conforming changes to designate April 10 as Farmworkers Day, and require the Governor to annually proclaim April 10 as Farmworkers Day. Existing law designates August 26 as California Farmworker Day, and requires the Governor to annually proclaim August 26 as California Farmworker Day. This bill would repeal the provisions relating to California Farmworker Day. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 45203, 79020, and 88203 of the Education Code proposed by AB 2017 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2017 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The bill also would incorporate additional changes to Section 6700 of the Government Code proposed by AB 2017 and AB 2294 to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The bill further would incorporate additional changes to Sections 19853 and 19853.1 of the Government Code proposed by AB 1841 and AB 2017 to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Assembly Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Aug 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/27/26 - Amended Assembly → SB1394 · 2 edits

MINOR

The final version of SB 1394 changes the date of Farmworkers Day from August 6 to April 10 across all affected provisions (public school closures, community college closures, and paid holidays for classified employees). The bill continues to remove Cesar Chavez Day (March 31) as a designated holiday for school and college closures and repeals the separate California Farmworker Day (August 26), consolidating farmworker recognition into a single April 10 observance.

TIMELINE

Farmworkers Day date changed from August 6 to April 10 in all provisions covering public school closures (Education Code 37220.5), community college closures (Education Code 79020), paid holidays for public school classified employees (Education Code 45203), paid holidays for community college classified employees (Education Code 88203), and state employee holiday designations (Government Code 6700).

The Governor's annual proclamation requirement now applies to April 10 instead of August 6 as Farmworkers Day.

02/20/26 - Introduced → 06/11/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Jun 11, 2026

MODERATE

SB 1394 was substantially expanded in the Assembly from a narrow environmental reporting bill into a combined bill that also restructures California's farmworker-related state holidays. The original version only amended Public Resources Code Section 71452 to improve 30x30 conservation goal reporting. The amended version adds amendments to the Education Code and Government Code that rename March 31 from Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day, add August 6 as a new Farmworkers Day holiday for schools and state employees, and repeal the existing August 26 California Farmworker Day designation.

SCOPE

The bill now amends Education Code sections 37220.5, 45203, 79020, and 88203, and Government Code sections 6700, 6701, 6717, 19853, and 19853.1, in addition to the original Public Resources Code amendment. This dramatically broadens the bill's scope from environmental reporting to state holiday policy.

DEFINITION

August 6 is added as a new state holiday designated as Farmworkers Day in Government Code Section 6700, and is added to the list of holidays for which public schools, community colleges, and state employees may close or receive paid time off.

March 31 is renamed from Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day throughout the holiday provisions. The education code references to Cesar Chavez Day for school closures are replaced with Farmworkers Day, though educational exercises commemorating Cesar Chavez's role in the farm labor movement are retained.

Government Code Section 6731 is repealed, eliminating the August 26 California Farmworker Day designation and the requirement for the Governor to annually proclaim that date.

ELIGIBILITY

Public schools and community colleges may now close on both March 31 (Farmworkers Day) and August 6 (Farmworkers Day) by memorandum of understanding, replacing the prior single Cesar Chavez Day closure option. Classified employees in both public schools and community colleges may be entitled to paid holidays on both dates.

REQUIREMENT

The Governor's annual proclamation requirement is changed from March 31 (Cesar Chavez Day) to August 6 as Farmworkers Day under Government Code Section 6717, while March 31 remains a state holiday under its new name.

06/11/26 - Amended Assembly → 08/27/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Aug 27, 2026

MODERATE

SB 1394 was substantially revised between the June 11 and August 27, 2026 Assembly amendments. The most significant changes are: (1) the removal of all environmental protection provisions related to the 30x30 conservation goal reporting requirements, (2) a change of Farmworkers Day from August 6 to April 10, (3) removal of specific references to Cesar Chavez from commemorative exercises in public schools, and (4) the addition of collective bargaining agreement protections that delay the bill's amendments until existing contracts expire or renew. The bill also now includes alternative versions operative only if companion bills (AB 2017, AB 2294, AB 1841) are enacted first.

SCOPE

All provisions amending Section 71452 of the Public Resources Code were removed. This eliminated requirements for the Natural Resources Agency to include sufficient information in its annual 30x30 conservation report to quantify newly conserved acreage and to post the report on its website.

Section 37220.5(b) no longer requires public school exercises to specifically commemorate the role of Cesar Chavez in the farm labor movement. The language was changed to more general reference to 'the history of the farm labor movement in the United States.'

Alternative sections (SEC. 2.5, SEC. 3.5, SEC. 4.5) were added that would be operative only if SB 1394 is enacted last alongside AB 2017, AB 2294, or AB 1841. These alternatives retain some prior language (such as 'Cesar Chavez Day' on March 31 in the community college context) and add Islamic holidays Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as potential paid holidays for classified employees.

TIMELINE

The date for Farmworkers Day was changed from August 6 to April 10 across all affected sections (Education Code Sections 37220.5, 45203, 79020, and 88203).

REQUIREMENT

New provisions were added throughout the bill (Sections 37220.5(c), 45203, 79020(k)(2), and 88203(e)(2)) stating that if the amendments conflict with a collective bargaining agreement entered into before January 1, 2027, those amendments shall not apply until the expiration or renewal of that agreement.

TECHNICAL

Senator Caballero and Assembly Member Calderon were added as coauthors, and the bill title was updated to remove reference to the Public Resources Code amendment.

Floor votes · Senate May 22, 2026 · Assembly Aug 30, 2026

How they voted

33–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 40

May 22, 2026

D Democratic30

25 Yea 5

83% Yea

R Republican10

8 Yea 2

80% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 1.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

upper

Aug 30, 2026

Introduced

In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

upper

Aug 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.

lower

Aug 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time and amended.

lower

Aug 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 13).

lower

Jun 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Jun 15, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on G.O. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.

lower

Jun 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

lower

Jun 1, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and W., P., & W.

lower

May 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 33. Noes 0. Page 4421.) Ordered to the Assembly.

upper

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4275.) (May 14).

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 3759.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors