Sacramento Bee:
More than two decades after California voters banned consideration of race in university admissions, public employment and contracting with Proposition 209, the state Assembly on Wednesday approved a measure that would ask voters to repeal the law.
In a 58-9 initial vote, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, secured the necessary two-thirds majority approval needed to send Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5 out of her house and to the state Senate. Only one Republican, Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, voted in favor of the bill.
ACA 5 would repeal provisions of the 1996 ballot measure, which prohibited state institutions from granting preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Advocates of the change said it would once again allow affirmative action in hiring, contracting, and admissions.
