WA lawmakers introduce bill to recognize Lunar New Year as official state holiday

Lawmakers introduced a bill that would make Lunar New Year a recognized holiday in Washington state.

Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the new year based on the lunar calendar. It is widely celebrated in China, South Korea, Vietnam and other countries. Lunar New Year 2024 will fall on Saturday, Feb. 10, starting the year of the dragon.

YANTAI, CHINA - JANUARY 16: Children perform dragon dance at a kindergarten ahead of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon, on January 16, 2024 in Yantai, Shandong Province of China. (Photo by Sun Wentan/VCG via Getty Images)

Lawmakers, including Representative My-Linh Thai of Bellevue, introduced House Bill 2209.

The bill’s sponsors want the holiday to celebrate the state’s Asian-American Community and combat the recent rise of anti-Asian hate.

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The House Committee on State Government and Tribal Relations held a public hearing on the bill on Tuesday.

This push comes after a bill died last year in the state legislature that would have made Lunar New Year a paid holiday.

This is a developing story.