Religious liberty means equal treatment for all faiths under the law. That’s not a controversial statement. It’s a principle as old as the Republic itself—government doesn’t get to play favorites when it comes to matters of faith and conscience. Yet something curious keeps happening in progressive states. Certain religious traditions receive enthusiastic official acknowledgment. Others get memory-holed.

Which holidays deserve state recognition might sound like bureaucratic trivia. It’s not. Symbols carry weight, particularly for communities of faith who’ve celebrated sacred traditions for thousands of years. When politicians handpick which religions merit official acknowledgment, they broadcast a clear message about whose beliefs matter. And whose don’t.

From The Post Millennial:

Washington Republicans have introduced new legislation that would add a slate of Christian and Jewish holy days to the state’s list of “legislatively recognized” observances, months after Washington enacted a law recognizing the Muslim holidays Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha on the eve of Passover and Easter, without recognizing those holidays.

A Holiday Snub Heard Round the State

Governor Bob Ferguson knew exactly what he was doing. On April 9, 2025—the eve of both Passover and Easter—he signed Senate Bill 5106 with fanfare. Washington became the first state in the nation to officially recognize Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. His office blasted the achievement across social media. Historic legislation. Groundbreaking moment. You know the drill.

Here’s what the governor’s celebratory posts didn’t mention. The very holidays that millions of Washington’s Christian and Jewish residents were preparing to observe that week? No recognition. Easter, the holiest day on the Christian calendar. Passover, commemorating Jewish liberation from bondage. Both deemed unworthy of similar treatment.

Washington wanted that “first in nation” headline for recognizing Islamic holidays. The deafening silence about faiths that shaped Western civilization for millennia? That was the quieter message.

Republicans Fight Back

Not everyone in Olympia plans to let this slide. House Bill 2166, prefiled on December 17, represents a principled Republican counteroffensive to restore some sanity to Washington’s official calendar.

The measure adds Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Eve, Hanukkah, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur to the state’s recognized observances. Christmas Day already enjoys paid legal holiday status. But the bill ensures Christmas Eve joins the list alongside those newly minted Eid celebrations.

Eleven Republican sponsors signed onto HB 2166. The roster includes Representatives Matt Marshall, Travis Abell, Chris Corry, and Jim Walsh—who doubles as Washington State Republican Party chairman. Their position isn’t complicated: if the state recognizes religious holidays, it should recognize them equally.

Worth noting—HB 2166 mirrors SB 5106’s approach. These would be recognized observances, not new paid holidays. Republicans aren’t demanding special privileges. They’re insisting Christians and Jews receive identical acknowledgment to what Democrats eagerly extended to Washington’s Muslim community. Radical concept, apparently.

The Quiet Part Out Loud

The most revealing moment in this whole saga came courtesy of Senator Yasmin Trudeau’s office. Trudeau sponsored the Islamic holiday legislation. When someone asked why Jewish holidays weren’t included, her spokesperson delivered a jaw-dropping response to the Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI.

Sponsoring Jewish holiday recognition would be “presumptuous,” the office explained. Trudeau isn’t Jewish, you see. She’d happily co-sponsor such a bill, though.

Pause on that for a moment. Senator Trudeau experienced zero hesitation sponsoring recognition for Islamic holidays. But Jewish observances? Suddenly she discovered boundaries. The excuse doesn’t just reveal hypocrisy. It puts progressive “inclusion” politics under a microscope—and the specimen isn’t pretty.

The legislative session kicks off January 12, 2026, running through March 12. HB 2166 will force Washington Democrats to answer a straightforward question. Do they actually believe in religious equality? Or do they only practice inclusion when it’s politically convenient?

A Matter of Equal Respect

Nobody’s arguing against recognition for any faith tradition. Americans can celebrate religious diversity in our communities without abandoning foundational principles. But equal treatment under law isn’t some fringe demand. It’s bedrock Americana.

When state governments enthusiastically recognize certain religious holidays while pretending others don’t exist, neutrality dies. Favoritism takes its place. Washington Republicans are making a simple request. Extend Christians and Jews the same respect Democrats granted Muslims.

That this requires legislation at all is the real scandal. Progressive priorities have wandered far from anything resembling fairness. Washington’s people of faith are watching. So is the rest of the country.

Key Takeaways

• Washington recognized Islamic holidays while deliberately bypassing Easter, Passover, and other Judeo-Christian observances.
• Republicans introduced HB 2166 to add Christian and Jewish holy days to the state’s official calendar.
• The bill’s Democratic opponent claimed sponsoring Jewish holiday recognition would be “presumptuous”—yet had no problem sponsoring Islamic recognition.
• Equal treatment under law shouldn’t require a legislative fight, but progressive priorities made it necessary.

Sources: The Post Millennial