California Bill Would Prioritize Descendants of Slaves in University Admissions

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a Democrat, said he would introduce a bill to prioritize the descendants of slaves admission into UC and CSU schools.

A student walks toward Royce Hall on the campus of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) on March 11, 2020. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

A California lawmaker introduced a bill on Dec. 2 that would give the descendants of slaves priority admissions into the University of California and California State University schools, the state’s two public university systems.

The bill would change a precedent set nearly 30 years ago. Since 1996, California’s Proposition 209 has prohibited public schools, including the University of California and California State University, from using race as a factor in the admissions process.