20250AB__000797ENR INTRODUCED 2024-12-02 AMENDED_SENATE 2025-07-03 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2025-09-12 PASSED_SENATE 2025-09-09 ENROLLED 2025-09-16 2025 AB ENR Introduced by Assembly Member Bryan (Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Bonta, Gipson, Jackson, McKinnor, and Wilson) (Principal coauthors: Senators Smallwood-Cuevas and Weber Pierson) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Elhawary, Kalra, and Sharp-Collins) (Coauthor: Senator Richardson) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bryan PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bonta PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gipson PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jackson PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY McKinnor PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wilson PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR SENATE Smallwood-Cuevas PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR SENATE Weber Pierson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Kalra COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sharp-Collins COAUTHOR SENATE Richardson

An act to add

Article 13 (commencing with

Section 66097) to

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education. postsecondary education Postsecondary education: admissions preference: descendants of slavery. The California Constitution prohibits the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.

The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California’s public and independent segments of higher education and their respective institutions of higher education. A provision of the act applies to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution, act to make the provision applicable.

This bill would state that the California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions may consider providing a preference in admissions to an applicant who is a descendant of slavery, as defined, to the extent it does not conflict with federal law. MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION

Article 13 (commencing with

Section 66097) is added to

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the Education Code , to read: 13. Admissions Preference for Descendants of Slavery 66097. (

a) The California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, as defined in

Section 66010, and private postsecondary educational institutions, as defined in

Section 94858, may consider providing a preference in admissions to an applicant who is a descendant of slavery. This subdivision shall be implemented only to the extent that it does not conflict with federal law. (

b) For purposes of this section, “descendant of slavery” means an individual who can establish direct lineage to a person who, before 1900, was subjected to American chattel slavery and meets at least one of the following criteria:

(1) Was emancipated through legal or extralegal means, including self-purchase, manumission, legislative action, military service, or judicial ruling.

(2) Obtained freedom through gradual abolition statutes or constitutional amendments.

(3) Was classified as a fugitive from bondage under federal or state law.

(4) Was deemed contraband by military authorities.

(5) Rendered military or civic service while subject to legal restrictions based on ancestry historically associated with slavery.