Voters To Decide On State's Affirmative Action Policy

SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 9: The California state Capitol building is shown October 9, 2003 in downtown Sacramento, California.
Photo credit David Paul Morris/Getty Images

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California voters will get to decide in November whether governments and public colleges and universities can consider race in their hiring and admissions decisions.

The state has banned affirmative action policies since 1996. That's when 55% of California voters approved an amendment to the state Constitution outlawing preferential treatment based on race.

The State Senate voted 30-10 Wednesday to repeal that amendment.

The State Assembly had previously backed the same legislation June 10.

But, voters now must approve it in November before it can become law.

#ACA5 - to repeal Prop 209 (which banned affirmative action) - is now on the ballot.Prop 209 is part of an ugly racist history. It needs to be stripped out of California’s constitution. pic.twitter.com/6tTu6tb5AG

— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) June 24, 2020