California lawmakers on Tuesday voted to put a stop to “legacy” admissions at private universities, but it’s unclear whether Gov. Gavin Newsom will sign it into law.
The State Senate voted 26-5 to approve Assembly Bill 1780, by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, sending the bill to Newsom’s desk. Opposing the bill were GOP Sens. Marie Alvarado-Gil, Brian Jones, Roger Niello, Kelly Seyarto and Scott Wilk. The bill previously passed out of the State Assembly, 55-0.
The governor has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the bill.
AB 1780 is Ting’s second attempt at ending the practice of giving preferential admission to the children of alumni and donors at institutions such as Stanford University or University of Southern California. A previous bill was watered down.
While this bill doesn’t outright prohibit such admissions policies, it does deny CalGrant funding, a significant source of university revenue, to institutions that practice it.
Ting’s office points to the fact that in 2022, 14% of Stanford’s new admissions had ties to donors or alumni, while citing a study that found that children from high-income families were twice as likely to gain admission to such universities than were middle- and low-income students who had comparable test scores.
Public universities and colleges already do not allow legacy admissions.
A spokesperson for Stanford University did not respond to The Bee’s request for comment by deadline.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
