A California bill prohibiting "legacy" preferences in college admissions is now on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk for approval: "Equal opportunity"

Last week, the California state legislature passed a bill that, if signed by the governor, would prohibit private colleges from admitting preferred applicants who are related to alumni, employees, or donors.

The bill, AB 1780, passed the Assembly and Senate without opposition, except for five Republicans. It is now on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk for approval.

The bill, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Philip Ting, aims to address the U.S. Supreme Court ruling from last summer that prohibits race-based considerations in college admissions.

Ting's office stated in a news release that wealth and relationships should not be considered as factors if race is not a determining factor.

"Ting emphasized the importance of fairness in the college application process, stating that "equal opportunity is the name of the game here." He argued that everyone should be evaluated based on their merits, including hard work, good grades, and a well-rounded background, rather than their family's financial resources or connections. To truly value diversity in higher education, Ting argued that the application process must be made more fair and equitable."

Ting has previously attempted to pass legislation to prevent preferential admissions at universities such as Stanford and USC. The current bill has undergone multiple revisions from previous versions.

The most recent legislation no longer includes a provision that would have stripped private universities of their state grant funding if they were found to be practicing legacy admissions.

Last fall, six California colleges still prioritize applicants with ties to alumni and donors, with the University of Southern California admitting the most students, Stanford admitting 295, Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd each admitting 15, Northeastern admitting fewer than 10, and Santa Clara University reporting 38, down from 1,133 the previous year.

If the bill is signed into law by Newsom, California will be the fifth state to prohibit legacy admissions.

In 2019, Democrats in Congress presented a bill known as the Fair College Admissions for Students Act, which was met with criticism from some Republicans.

Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La., stated to HuffPost that it is surprising that elite universities, which have been very vocal about addressing disparities, have this method to maintain student loyalty.

"Cassidy, a ranking member of the Senate Health and Education Committee, stated that she cannot help but notice the irony without taking a position. If it is discovered that this is a significant contributor to national inequality, she expects them to voluntarily end it if they truly value the virtues they claim to uphold."

In July 2023, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Tim Scott, and JD Vance hinted that they might back the bill, but it has not seen substantial progress since then.

This month, Illinois, Colorado, and Virginia have banned legacy admissions at public colleges and universities. Unlike other states, Maryland has prohibited the practice at both private and public institutions. Meanwhile, New York, Massachusetts, and Minnesota are considering similar measures.