Utah lawmakers approve Good Friday as new state holiday

Photo: TownLift // Bailey Edelstein

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Utah lawmakers have approved a bill making Good Friday an official state holiday, marking the first new state holiday added in years.

The measure, Utah Senate Bill 193, designates Good Friday as a legal state holiday and grants state employees a half day of paid leave to observe it. The bill passed after earlier debate over whether the state should formally recognize the Christian observance.

Because the legislation takes effect after the conclusion of the legislative session, the new holiday will not be observed by state government until the 2027.

While not requiring them to close, the bill encourages schools and higher education institutions to consider Good Friday when setting spring break schedules. Local governments, including cities and counties, will have the option to decide whether to follow the state’s observance.

Under the bill, state employees will generally receive about four hours of paid holiday leave on Good Friday. State offices may close early or adjust schedules that day, depending on operational needs.

Supporters said the bill recognizes a widely observed religious holiday while maintaining flexibility for government services.

The legislation builds on a framework created by Utah Senate Bill 259, which passed in the 2025 session and established a category of “state holy days” recognizing a range of religious observances from multiple faith traditions, including Easter, Passover, Eid al-Fitr, Diwali, and Rosh Hashanah.

With SB 259, those observances were recognized by the state; however, Good Friday becomes the first of those recognized holy days to be elevated to an official state holiday. The move adds Good Friday to Utah’s list of legal holidays, which includes days such as New Year’s Day, Pioneer Day and Christmas. A bill to make Election Day a state holiday failed earlier in this year’s session.

Debate over the measure included questions about the role of religion in state holidays, though supporters argued the earlier “holy days” law acknowledged many faith traditions and that the new holiday reflects a long-standing observance for many Utahns.