CaliforniaSchools would excuse religious holiday or ceremony absences without written requests or school approval
Under the signed law, California schools would excuse a student's absence for a holiday or ceremony of their religion without a written request or school approval.
What it does
The signed law would require schools to excuse absences for a student's religious holiday or ceremony without a parent's or guardian's written request or school approval.
If a state commission finds that the law requires local agencies or school districts to spend money, the state would repay those required costs under existing rules.
Argument forOnce the law takes effect, families could more easily get religious holiday or ceremony absences excused without submitting a written request or seeking school approval.
Argument againstOnce the law takes effect, school districts might need to change how they handle religious holiday and ceremony absences, adding administrative work.
More detail
Schools would excuse absences for a student's religious holiday or ceremony without a written request or school approval. The absence must be for a holiday or ceremony of the student's religion. A parent or guardian would not have to request the absence in writing, and a principal or designated school official would not have to approve it.
The state would repay certain costs required by this law. The payment would cover local agencies and school districts. The Commission on State Mandates must first find that this law requires those costs. Payment would follow existing state rules.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 893, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 30Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 3Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 26In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.Minor
- Aug 25Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1763 Lee et al. By Pérez. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (August 13).Minor
- Jun 29In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 17From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 3Referred to Com. on ED.Minor
- May 21In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1763 Lee Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 21Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 5195.)Passed Assembly
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Mar 19From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Mar 19Coauthors revised.
- Mar 18
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 23Referred to Com. on ED.Minor
- Feb 10From printer. May be heard in committee March 12.
- Feb 9Read first time. To print.Introduced
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