AB7 - Postsecondary education: admissions preference: descendants of slavery.

Enrolled September 16, 2025 Passed IN Senate September 09, 2025 Passed IN Assembly September 12, 2025 Amended IN Senate July 03, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 7 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) December 02, 2024 An act to add Article 13 (commencing with Section 66097) to Chapter 2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 7, Bryan. 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. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Article 13 (commencing with Section 66097) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read: Article 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.