Yes, in name. Pennsylvania Act 112 of 2024, signed by Governor Josh Shapiro on October 21, 2024, designates the 15th day of the Hindu lunisolar month of Kartik as “Diwali Day” in the Commonwealth every year. The law took effect immediately, so Diwali 2024 was the first one officially recognized in the state.
It is a commemorative holiday, not a day off. The act says nothing in it requires an employer to treat Diwali Day as a legal or official holiday or to give employees paid leave, and state offices, schools, and businesses are not required to close.
Source: Pennsylvania General Assembly, Act No. 112 of 2024 (SB 402)
Image: A diya lit for Diwali. Photo by Slyronit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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