By John McCallum | FāVs News Reporter
Two bills establishing several new unpaid holidays for public employees failed to advance to their respective chamber floors for votes this past session — with one sponsor vowing to bring that bill back in 2027.
Introduced by Rep. Matt Marshall, R-Eastonville, and co-sponsored by Eastern Washington Rep. Hunter Abell, R-Inchelium, House Bill 2166 would have recognized seven days as unpaid holidays. Those were Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve), Easter Sunday, Good Friday, Hanukkah, Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
A second bill filed in the Senate by Sen. Adrian Cordes, D-Battle Ground, SB 5950, would have recognized Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur along with the Hindu and Sikh celebrations of Vaisakhi, Guru Gaddi Diwas for Guru Granth Sahib Ji along with Bahá’i observances of the Twin Holy Birthdays of Báb and Bahá’u’lláh and the Festival of Ridván.
Neither of the two bills made it to the House or Senate floors for consideration, although SB 5950 did pass out of the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections with a “Do Pass” recommendation. It stalled in the Rules Committee after the Feb. 17 deadline passed in which any bills to be considered must be advanced to the respective chamber floors.
SB 5950 recognizes Jewish holidays
“I was proud to sponsor Senate Bill 5950 because Washington’s strength lies in our diversity, and this bill would help us send a message that we respect people from various faiths and cultures,” Cordes said of his measure in an email.
The bill recognizes two key holidays in Judaism: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah — the first day of the Jewish New Year — begins the 10-day period of Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) that culminates on the ninth day with Yom Kippur.
Both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are among the more popular and important Jewish holidays, with busy synagogues and observant and “not-so” observant Jews participating in the celebrations and attending services.
“You’ve heard of ‘twice-a-year Christians’ who go to church only on Christmas and Easter?” the website Judaism 101 states. “‘Twice-a-year Jews’ go to synagogue only on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.”
Hindu, Sikh and Bahá’i’ observances in SB 5950
Vaisakhi is a Hindu and Sikh spring harvest celebration believed to have originated when “Goddess Ganga came to Earth to help rid humanity of its sins,” according to the Hindu American Foundation website. It marks a time of ritual bathing, charitable giving and sharing of food and resources with the less fortunate and is known as the “solar new year” in some Hindu communities.
Guru Gaddi Diwas for Guru Granth Sahib Ji, also referred to as “Guru Gaddi Day,” is a Sikh celebration of the date Guru Gobind Singh installed the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, which consists of 1,430 pages of spiritual teachings and melodies. Celebrations include a 48-hour, non-stop reading of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib along with community meals and acts of service.
The Twin Holy Birthdays of Báb and Bahá’u’lláh celebrate the births of two figures central to the Bahá’i’ faith. Celebrations include prayers, readings, music and acts of community service.
Finally, the Festival of Ridván is the Bahá’i’ faith’s most sacred festival, commemorating the 12 days that Bahá’u’lláh spent on the banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad in 1863 during which he “declared His mission as God’s Messenger for a new age and revealed the spiritual principles that are the foundation of His teachings.”
According to the Bahá’i’’s of the United States website, Ridvan means “paradise,” with member communities coming together to celebrate the occasion.
HB 2166 also acknowledges Passover
Marshall’s and Abell’s bill in the House also recognized Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as well as Hanukkah, also known “Chanukah,” the Festival of Lights. The observance celebrates the rededication of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem after a successful second-century B.C. revolt by the Maccabees against the Seleucid Greeks.
The bill also lists Passover, an observance celebrated by both Jews and Christians. It commemorates the biblical story in the Book of Exodus of the Israelites’ time of enslavement in Egypt when God promised to “pass over” and spare houses displaying a specific marking from the 10th plague — the killing of every first-born male.
Passover is also important to Christians, with many believing the celebration of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday of Easter Holy Week being Jesus’s observance of a “seder meal.” A seder meal is a central ritual for Jews celebrating Passover.
“This bill recognizes the vital importance of Christian and Jewish faith in the lives of many Washingtonians,” Abell said in a Dec. 30, 2025, news release announcing the pre-session filing of the bill.
HB 2166 acknowledges Christian Holy Week
HB 2166 also recognizes two Christian observances central to Holy Week: Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Good Friday is observed as the day of the crucifixion and death of Jesus while Easter Sunday is observed as the day of his “resurrection” — both key events in Christian theology.
Good Friday observances are generally solemn, focusing on reflection and veneration with some denominations observing the “Stages of the Cross” ritual where Jesus’s journey to crucifixion is re-enacted. Easter Sunday observances are more joyous as Christian’s celebrate Jesus’ return from the dead, or “victory over death” with church services and gathering of family and friends for meals afterwards.
Finally, HB 2166 would recognize Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, as an unpaid holiday. The day is celebrated in a variety of ways from evening church services to holiday decorating and gift giving.
“At a time when many people feel their values are being ignored or dismissed, this bill sends a clear message: Faith and tradition still matter in Washington,” Marshall said in the Dec. 30 news release.
HB 2166 and SB 5950 specifics, refilings
While some holidays in both bills take place on specific dates each year, others are determined by various calendar cycles specific to that religion. None of the holidays are set aside as official, paid observances by public entities such as schools, cities or counties.
Instead, public employees wishing to observe these holidays may include it as one or both of two unpaid holidays per calendar year allowed under state law. Washington State law says employees must select the days they desire after “consultation with the employer pursuant to guidelines to be promulgated by rule of the appropriate personnel authority, or in the case of local government by ordinance or resolution of the legislative authority.”
Employers must allow the employee to observe these requested non-legal, unpaid holidays unless the employee’s absence creates a hardship, as defined by law, or is necessary to maintain public safety.
Attempts to contact Marshall about HB 2166 were not successful as the Republican Caucus Public Information Office cited time constraints due to legislative requirements. Unlike SB 5950, which advanced to the Senate Rules Committee, HB 2166 never received a hearing in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.
“We are not in control of our own schedule being in the minority,” House Republican Caucus public information officer Hanna Scott said in an email.
Senate Democratic Caucus public information officer Bridget Doyle Williams said both bills’ lack of movement was most likely attributable to the recent legislative session’s duration. Sessions held in even-numbered years are 60-day sessions rather than the 120-day sessions held in odd-numbered years.
“The deadlines for bills to move through the legislative process come up very quickly during the short legislative session and that’s why the bill wasn’t able to move further,” Doyle Williams said.
While it was uncertain at press time if Marshall intended to refile HB 2166 for the 2027 session, Cordes was specific about his intentions with SB 5950.
“I plan to push for this bill again next year during the longer legislative session,” Cordes said.
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