Equal Opportunity Gains Historic Ground in California: ACA 5 Passes State Assembly with Supermajority and Moves to Senate

SACRAMENTO — CAA celebrates the passage of ACA 5 off the State Assembly Floor today. The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber (D – San Diego), would allow California voters to have their say on equal opportunity programs like affirmative action, for the first time in a generation — as they were banned by Proposition 209 in 1996.  If the State Senate approves ACA 5 later this month, the measure would be placed on the November 2020 ballot.

 

Opportunity for All Coalition co-chairs Eva Paterson and Vincent Pan said, “We are in the midst of a national conversation about systemic racism and the urgency with which we must root out bigotry — because lives depend on it. Today’s historic victory for ACA 5, to give California voters the chance to have their say on affirmative action for the first time in 24 years, is part of that national fight.”

 

They continued, “The coalition behind this critical bill, just like the legislators who voted yes today — represents the broad diversity and vibrancy of California.  We are all united in our love for our communities, as well as our belief that to build a stronger future for our state — one that protects all communities from health and economic crises, one that believes that Black Lives Matter — we must make California first in opportunity for all.”

 

With its passage off the Assembly Floor, ACA 5 became the first bill providing a path to a full restoration of affirmative action to pass out of one chamber of the California State Legislature.  It will face a floor vote in the Senate later this month, before the June 25th deadline.

 

ACA 5 has been endorsed by over 250 organizations and leaders, including U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-13), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Karen Bass (CA-37) and Ro Khanna (CA-17), California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee, California State Board of Equalization Member Malia Cohen, California State Controller Betty Yee, Insurance Commissioner of California Ricardo Lara, and Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. It is also endorsed by ACLU of California, AFSCME Local 3299, California Black Chamber of Commerce, California Federation of Teachers, California National Organization for Women, California/Hawaii State Conference NAACP, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Equal Justice Society, The Education Trust – West, and the University of California Student Association.

 

ACA 5 was also introduced by Assemblymembers Gipson and Santiago, and co-authored by Assemblymembers Burke, Cooper, Gonzalez, Holden, Jones-Sawyer, Kamlager, Kalra, McCarty, Stone, Wicks, and Senators Bradford, Mitchell, Hueso, and Skinner. ACA 5 is supported by the leading civil rights organizations, labor groups, and business leaders across California including Equal Justice Society, the California Black Chamber of Commerce, Chinese for Affirmative Action, ACLU of California, and scores of other community advocates.