Bill proposed to end César Chavez Day in Minnesota amid sex-abuse allegations

Brooks Johnson, Star Tribune on Mar 19, 2026

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A state legislator wants to repeal César Chavez Day in Minnesota following revelations the farm labor leader reportedly groomed and sexually abused girls who worked as part of his movement.

“The pain and trauma survivors carry is a weight that can’t be erased by replacing signs and names on buildings or repealing this state holiday, but it’s a step forward for healing,” Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega, DFL-St. Paul, said in a statement on Thursday.

The New York Times’ investigation into Chavez’s alleged abuses published Wednesday has prompted a nationwide scramble to remove his name from streets, parks, schools and the March 31 holiday recognized by several states.

The Minnesota Legislature passed a law recognizing César Chavez Day in 2014.

Several other states that celebrate Chavez’s birthday, including California, Washington, Arizona and Texas, have signaled they will not be promoting it this year and may also remove it from state law.

In an interview on WCCO Radio (830 AM) on Thursday morning, March 19, Gov. Tim Walz was asked what the state should do about César Chavez Day in Minnesota. Walz has issued proclamations in past years promoting the day.

Walz said his office will not be issuing proclamations. He said it’s up to the Legislature to change the statute.

“This certainly clouds that legacy, and we should reassess it,” Walz said of the allegations. “I would hope they would do something on that, but we won’t be putting out anything. And I just want to make sure I stay in line with what the Legislature and statute says.”

House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson of Coon Rapids said in a statement his caucus is “prepared to move quickly to pass this legislation.” A request for comment was left with Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth’s office.

Chavez, who died in 1993, is also memorialized in Minnesota with a short avenue through the Minneapolis Farmers Market and a major street in St. Paul’s West Side, the heart of the city’s Latino community.

The St. Paul charter school Academia Cesar Chavez said on Wednesday the allegations are “profoundly concerning” and the school is “taking time to fully understand the information that is emerging and will continue to follow developments closely.”

“We are committed to listening to our community,” the school’s board said in a statement.

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(Ryan Faircloth of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.)

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