California

Reparations bill, amid headwinds, could skirt California’s affirmative action ban

Published

4 months ago

July 14, 2025

Reparations bill, amid headwinds, could skirt California’s affirmative action ban

SACRAMENTO — With diversity programs under full assault by the Trump administration, California lawmakers are considering a measure that would allow state colleges to consider whether applicants are descendants of African Americans who were enslaved in the United States.

The bill, which would probably face a legal challenge if passed, is part of a package of 15 reparations bills supported by the California Legislative Black Caucus being considered in the current legislative session.

Assembly Bill 7, introduced by Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan (D-Los Angeles), if passed, could potentially skirt around the state’s ban on affirmative action. California voters in 1996 approved a state ballot measure, Proposition 209, that bars colleges from considering race, sex, ethnicity, color or national origin in admissions under Proposition 209. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 also ruled those programs were unconstitutional.

Bryan, however, says his has nothing to do with race and doesn’t use the terms “Black” or “African American” in its text.

“Descendants of people who are enslaved could identify in a variety of racial ways, and then phenotypically even present in different ways than they racially identify,” he said in an interview with The Times. “But if your ancestors were enslaved in this country, then there’s a direct lineage-based tie to harms that were inflicted during enslavement and in the after lives thereafter.”

The bill, and others in the reparations package, had seen widespread support within the Legislature’s Democratic supermajority and are representative of California’s values, Bryan said.

“I think California is quite clear where it positions itself in this moment, and that is in the support of all people, recognizing the harms of the past and trying to build a future that includes everybody. And if that appears in conflict with the federal government, I think that has more to do with the way the government is posturing than who we are as Californians,” he said.

Last year, when only 10 of 14 bills in the reparations package passed through the Legislature, reform advocates felt the efforts were lackluster. Lawmakers believed it was a foundation they could build upon, Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) said in September.

AB 7’s focus on lineage, said Taifha Alexander, a professor at UCLA and expert in critical race theory, could face legal trouble if a judge believed it used lineage as a proxy for race. It could be ruled unconstitutionally discriminatory under the 14th Amendment.

A separate reparations bill, however, could help offer a legal definition to separate race from lineage. Senate Bill 518 would create a state bureau for descendants of American slavery. The state agency would verify a person’s status as a descendant and help applicants access benefits.

Comprehensive reparation legislation isn’t a novel idea and has been enacted before, Alexander said. In the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, the federal government formally apologized to Japanese Americans for their illegal incarceration in detention camps during World War II, and included a one-time payment of $20,000 to survivors.

Reparations — in the form of cash payments — fell flat with voters when last polled by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by The Times in 2023. More than 4 in 10 California voters “strongly” opposed cash payments and 59% opposed the idea, with 28% in support. None of the bills currently before the Legislature includes cash reparations.

Other forms of reparations, such as a change to the college admissions process and social programs, are still valid ways to address inequities, Alexander said.

But a bill like AB 7, which looks to circumvent existing law, could face headwinds from the public who could see it as unfair, she said.

With the outcome of the 2023 Supreme Court case which banned college admissions processes from using race, she said the policy was unlikely to be popular.

Opponents argue the bill’s distinction between race and ancestry is not enough to survive judicial review, and believe a court will find lineage to be a proxy for race to circumvent the ban.

“Suppose, instead, that a state passed a law making university admission more difficult for descendants of American slavery. Would anyone argue that such a law should be upheld? Of course not,” Edward Blum, president of Students for Fair Admissions and the lawyer who argued and won the case to ban affirmative action, said in a statement to The Times.

“It would be struck down immediately as unconstitutional racial discrimination. That hypothetical reveals the core defect of AB 7 — it makes a race-linked classification under the guise of ancestry and will not withstand judicial review. If enacted, this legislation will face a swift and vigorous legal challenge in federal court and be struck down. It takes Herculean stupidity to believe otherwise,” Blum wrote.

Other bills still working through the legislative process include measures that would set aside home purchase assistance funds for descendants of American slavery that are buying their first homes and direct state agencies to address mortgage lending discrimination.

The reparations legislation that has failed to advance includes a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have banned prisons from requiring inmates to work, which some consider state-sanctioned slavery or indentured servitude.

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California

Utah woman missing for nearly a week from central California

Published

4 hours ago

November 13, 2025

Press Room

Utah woman missing for nearly a week from central California

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah woman has been reported missing for nearly a week from a county in central California.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said Danielle Staley, 35, of Holladay, was last seen near Rio Del Mar State Beach last Thursday night, Nov. 6.

She stands about 5-foot-6, with blond hair, and was last seen wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and leopard-print leggings, police said.

According to Zach West, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, Staley had been traveling with a friend for over a month — the pair arrived in the Santa Cruz area, near Aptos Beach in Rio Del Mar about a week ago.

On the night of Nov. 6, about 11:30 p.m., Staley and her friend had met some people at the beach and had a bonfire; the friend somehow separated from the group, and Staley couldn’t be found the next day, though her belongings were still on the beach, West said.

The woman hasn’t had contact with her family or friends, which West said was “out of character for her.”

Detectives are trying to piece together and identify others who were at the beach; they are also working with local businesses to scour surveillance footage that may present some clues, according to West.

He said numerous people have called claiming to have seen Staley, and detectives intend to follow up on those tips.

As of now, police said they don’t have any indication that she has traveled outside of the county, so the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office is the only agency investigating right now.

Staley’s friend is said to be cooperating with police.

Those with information are asked to call the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office at 831-471-1121.

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California

Thousands advised to stay indoors in California, Oregon, Arizona

Published

23 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Press Room

Thousands advised to stay indoors in California, Oregon, Arizona

Parts of three states face potentially unhealthy levels of air pollution early Wednesday, a live map from AirNow shows.

The map shows multiple pockets of fine particle (PM2.5) pollution in the “unhealthy” category. In Arizona, the pocket is centered around Payson, while another area is located along the border between California and Oregon, encompassing parts of Red Rock Valley, Butte Valley, Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Langell Valley, Spring Lake Valley, and areas around Klamath Falls.

At these air-quality levels, the Environmental Protection Agency advises that sensitive groups avoid long or intense outdoor activities and consider moving or rescheduling them indoors. The EPA also recommends the remainder of the population to reduce long or intense activities, and to take more breaks during outdoor activities.

Why It Matters

Officials and experts say that deteriorating air quality heightens health risks for vulnerable populations, such as older adults, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses.

What To Know

AirNow—an air quality data resource—is a partnership between the EPA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other agencies.

The Air Quality Index measures air pollution on a scale from 0 to 301 and above:

0—50 (Green): Good—Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
51—100 (Yellow): Moderate—Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
101—150 (Orange): Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups—Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
151—200 (Red): Unhealthy—Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
201—300 (Purple): Very Unhealthy—Health alert. The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.
301 and higher (Maroon): Hazardous—Health warning of emergency conditions. Everyone is more likely to be affected.

What People Are Saying

The EPA says on its website: “The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into your lungs, and some may even get into your bloodstream.

“Exposure to such particles can affect both your lungs and your heart. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including:

premature death in people with heart or lung disease
nonfatal heart attacks
irregular heartbeat
aggravated asthma
decreased lung function
increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.

“People with heart or lung diseases, children, older adults, minority populations, and low socioeconomic status populations are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure, either because they are more sensitive or may have higher exposures.”

What Happens Next

AirNow’s map is regularly updated.

Update, 11/12/2025, 5:01 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

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California

California Upsets No. 14 Louisville Cardinals in Overtime Thriller

Published

4 days ago

November 9, 2025

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California Upsets No. 14 Louisville Cardinals in Overtime Thriller

California quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for a career-high 323 passing yards against the No. 14 Louisville Cardinals on Nov. 8, 2025. (Courtesy: Cal Athletics)

California traveled to Louisville, Ky., in search of a statement win against the No. 14 Louisville Cardinals (7-2, 4-2 ACC), and the Golden Bears (6-4, 3-3 ACC) pulled out all the stops Saturday evening to earn the upset, 29-26, in overtime.