Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 931 on September 20, establishing September 25 as an annual Dolly Parton Day in California and making the state the second in the nation to formally honor the late country music icon through legislation, less than a month after Parton died at age 80 in Nashville on August 25.
Key Takeaways
- Governor Newsom signed SB 931 on September 20, 2026, establishing September 25 as Dolly Parton Day in California, with the date chosen as a numerical reference to Parton’s iconic 1980 hit “9 to 5.”
- The bill was co-authored by Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) and Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), making the legislation a bipartisan effort that requires California governors to annually proclaim the day.
- California is the second state to formally honor Parton, following Tennessee, which established January 19 as Dolly Parton Day on Parton’s 80th birthday earlier in 2026.
- Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026, in Nashville at age 80 after a career spanning more than six decades that produced over 100 million records sold worldwide and 25 number-one country singles.
- Parton’s Imagination Library has distributed more than 300 million books to children worldwide, and her philanthropic legacy includes funding early-stage research for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
The Date 9-2-5 Anchors the Tribute to Parton’s Hollywood Debut
The selection of September 25 for California’s observance was deliberate. Written numerically as 9-2-5, the date references “9 to 5,” the 1980 workplace comedy that served as Parton’s Hollywood acting debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The film, which was both set and shot in California, became a box office hit and a cultural touchstone that extended Parton’s audience well beyond country music. The title song reached number one on both the country and pop charts simultaneously, earned Parton an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, and remained an anthem for workplace culture across four decades of American life.
SB 931 requires California governors to issue an annual proclamation designating September 25 as Dolly Parton Day. The legislation was co-authored by two senators from opposite ends of California’s political spectrum: Shannon Grove, a Republican representing Bakersfield, and John Laird, a Democrat representing Santa Cruz. The bipartisan co-authorship reflected the breadth of Parton’s cultural appeal across ideological and geographic lines, a quality that defined both her career and her public persona. Newsom framed the signing in personal terms, stating that the bill creates “an annual reminder to us, every year, to live the way she did — joyfully, graciously, and with a whole lot of heart.”
Tennessee Honored Parton First, but California’s Legislation Is Codified in State Law
California is the second state to formally establish a Dolly Parton Day, following Tennessee, where Governor Bill Lee signed a proclamation on January 19, 2026, designating that date as Dolly Parton Day to coincide with Parton’s 80th birthday. The Tennessee proclamation was ceremonial, tied to Parton’s birth date and issued as a one-time proclamation. The California legislation differs structurally: SB 931 codifies September 25 as a recurring annual observance under state law, meaning it persists automatically without requiring a new gubernatorial proclamation each year.
Senator Grove, in her statement following the signing, wrote that “the love Dolly gave so freely, rooted in her deep and openly shared faith, and the love the world returned to her, shows how deeply she was cherished by everyone.” Senator Laird noted Parton’s connections to the California Central Coast, where Parton had performed and spent time throughout her career, and described her legacy as extending well beyond music into the lives of millions of children who received books through the Imagination Library.
A Six-Decade Career That Became Part of the American Soundtrack
Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in Pittman Center, Tennessee, the fourth of twelve children raised in a one-room cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains. Parton began performing publicly as a child, appeared on local radio and television programs as a teenager, and moved to Nashville the day after her high school graduation in 1964. Over a career that spanned more than six decades, Parton sold over 100 million records worldwide and earned 25 number-one country singles, the most by any female country artist in history.
Parton’s songwriting catalog includes “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “9 to 5,” songs that have been covered, sampled, and referenced across virtually every genre of popular music. Whitney Houston’s 1992 recording of “I Will Always Love You” became one of the highest-selling singles in history. Parton’s career extended beyond music into film, television, and business. Her Hollywood credits include “9 to 5” (1980), “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” (1982), “Steel Magnolias” (1989), and uncredited executive producing work on the original “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” film and its television adaptation. Parton also built Dollywood, the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, theme park that became the largest employer in the Sevier County region and generates close to $2 billion annually in economic activity.
The Imagination Library Distributed More Than 300 Million Books to Children Worldwide
Parton’s philanthropic reach ultimately matched the scale of her commercial success. The Dollywood Foundation, established in 1988, initially focused on reducing high school dropout rates in Sevier County, Tennessee. Parton personally pledged $500 to every seventh and eighth grade student in the county who graduated from high school through the Buddy Program. In 1995, Parton expanded the foundation’s work by launching the Imagination Library, a book-gifting program that mails one free, age-appropriate book per month to registered children from birth through age five.
The Imagination Library has since distributed more than 300 million books to children across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland, making it one of the largest early literacy programs in the world. California is among the states where the program operates, adding a direct local connection to the legislative tribute. Parton’s broader philanthropy included a $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2020 that funded early-stage research for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, a contribution that was not publicly known until Parton’s name appeared in a New England Journal of Medicine paper detailing the trial’s results. Parton also funded disaster relief efforts in her home state of Tennessee and supported LGBTQ advocacy and HIV/AIDS organizations throughout her career.
Parton’s Legacy as a Unifying Cultural Figure Defines the Legislation’s Significance
Parton died peacefully in Nashville on August 25, 2026. Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, had died in 2025. In the weeks following her death, tributes arrived from across the music industry, Hollywood, government, and the broader public. Dollywood confirmed that the park would continue operations and that a Life of Many Colors Museum would be added to the property. The Imagination Library confirmed that its programming would continue without interruption.
The speed with which California moved from Parton’s death on August 25 to the signing of SB 931 on September 20 reflects how deeply Parton had embedded herself in American cultural identity. Parton spent her career avoiding partisan identification while supporting causes that crossed ideological lines. She funded vaccine research and LGBTQ advocacy while maintaining deep connections to conservative Appalachian communities. She built a billion-dollar entertainment enterprise while remaining publicly associated with humility, generosity, and accessibility. That ability to occupy common ground without diluting her commitments is part of what SB 931 is designed to commemorate each September 25, and part of why a Bakersfield Republican and a Santa Cruz Democrat could attach their names to the same bill without political cost.
Whether additional states follow California and Tennessee in establishing formal Dolly Parton Day observances remains to be seen, but the bipartisan model set by SB 931 offers a legislative template that other state legislatures could adopt with minimal procedural friction. Parton, who once described herself as “a living example of just what the American dream is all about,” left behind a cultural footprint that extends well beyond any single state’s borders. The question now is whether September 25 becomes a date recognized nationally, or whether it remains a two-state tribute to a figure whose influence has never been confined to state lines.
FAQs
When Is Dolly Parton Day?
Dolly Parton Day in California is September 25, established by SB 931 signed on September 20, 2026. The date references Parton’s iconic song “9 to 5.” Tennessee established its own Dolly Parton Day on January 19, coinciding with Parton’s birthday.
Why Did California Establish Dolly Parton Day?
The legislation honors Parton’s contributions to music, film, philanthropy, and literacy. Parton’s acting career launched with “9 to 5,” filmed in California, and her Imagination Library has distributed books to children across the state. The bill was signed less than a month after Parton’s death on August 25, 2026.
How Many States Have a Dolly Parton Day?
Two states have formally honored Parton with a designated day. Tennessee established January 19 as Dolly Parton Day on Parton’s 80th birthday in January 2026. California signed SB 931 on September 20, 2026, codifying September 25 as an annual observance under state law.
What Was Dolly Parton’s Connection to California?
Parton’s 1980 acting debut “9 to 5” was filmed and set in California, and she appeared in several subsequent films produced in the state. She also served as an uncredited executive producer on the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” film and television adaptation. Senator Laird noted Parton’s personal connections to California’s Central Coast.
What Is The Imagination Library?
The Imagination Library is a book-gifting program founded by Parton in 1995 that mails one free, age-appropriate book per month to registered children from birth through age five. The program has distributed more than 300 million books worldwide, including in California, and confirmed it will continue operating following Parton’s death.
