Senate Concurrent Resolution 8, commemorating January 20, 2025 as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, passed unanimously in the California State Senate on Jan. 20, 2025 after floor remarks from senators across caucuses.

Senator Weber Pearson, presenting SCR 8, said the resolution commemorates King’s life and called on members to “use this day to ground us before embarking on the journey ahead, standing strong in the face of challenges and injustices.” He described King’s work as inspiring “necessary conversations about fighting injustices through collaboration and nonviolent means.”

Several senators from different caucuses spoke in support. Senator Richard Richardson called the resolution a “monumentous opportunity to honor the life and legacy” of King and recounted King’s influence on major civil rights statutes. Senator Alex Padilla read passages from King’s 1963 address, including “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children,” and urged renewed commitment to civil rights. Senator Scott Wiener, as co-chair of the Legislative Jewish Caucus, noted ties between King and Jewish leaders and urged continued unity against rising discrimination. Other supporters — including Senators Blakespear, Smallwood-Cuevas, McNearney and Cabaldon — emphasized service, economic justice, and the holiday’s designation as a day of action.

Senator Weber Pearson closed by urging colleagues to carry King’s commitments into their policymaking. The Senate used a unanimous roll-call vote; the clerk announced the result as “I 32, No 0,” and the resolution was adopted.

The speakers on the floor tied the observance to ongoing policy concerns, with multiple senators urging concrete action on racial and economic equity, disaster recovery, and protecting vulnerable communities. The resolution itself is commemorative and does not attach legislation or funding.