California lawmakers move forward with renaming César Chávez Day to Farmworkers Day
The Assembly passed the bill known as AB 2156 in an initial 67-0 vote. The bill heads next to the State Senate, where lawmakers in the upper house are expected to send it to the governor on Thursday.
Updated: 4:11 PM PDT Mar 23, 2026
California lawmakers on Monday moved forward with a measure that will rename the March 31 holiday known as César Chávez Day to Farmworkers Day. The Assembly passed the bill known as AB 2156 in an initial 67-0 vote. The bill heads next to the State Senate, where lawmakers in the upper house are expected to send it to the governor on Thursday. The legislative actions comes after a New York Times multi-year investigation into Chávez’s alleged sexual misconduct.The report included interviews with two women who said Chávez molested them while they were underage in the 1970s.Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the nation’s largest farmworkers union alongside Chávez, also said that Chávez sexually assaulted her. She said she had two children in secret after two sexual encounters with him.”I’m angry and heartbroken after learning the abuse and sexual assault of César Chávez,” said Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters. “These stories are sad and painful to hear. They demand our attention and action. For the survivors, we hear you, we’re here to support you and bring justice.” The advancement of the measure marked a rare bipartisan moment at the state Capitol. “This isn’t about a day on the calendar; it’s about the men and women that feed this nation in the orchards and fields before the sun even touches the horizon and who are still there after it sets,” said Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo, R-Tulare. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
California lawmakers on Monday moved forward with a measure that will rename the March 31 holiday known as César Chávez Day to Farmworkers Day.
The Assembly passed the bill known as AB 2156 in an initial 67-0 vote. The bill heads next to the State Senate, where lawmakers in the upper house are expected to send it to the governor on Thursday.
The legislative actions comes after a New York Times multi-year investigation into Chávez’s alleged sexual misconduct.
The report included interviews with two women who said Chávez molested them while they were underage in the 1970s.
Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the nation’s largest farmworkers union alongside Chávez, also said that Chávez sexually assaulted her. She said she had two children in secret after two sexual encounters with him.
“I’m angry and heartbroken after learning the abuse and sexual assault of César Chávez,” said Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters. “These stories are sad and painful to hear. They demand our attention and action. For the survivors, we hear you, we’re here to support you and bring justice.”
The advancement of the measure marked a rare bipartisan moment at the state Capitol.
“This isn’t about a day on the calendar; it’s about the men and women that feed this nation in the orchards and fields before the sun even touches the horizon and who are still there after it sets,” said Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo, R-Tulare.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel