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2024 Reparations Priority Bill Package: New California Laws Taking Effect

A guide to new laws addressing racial discrimination and civil rights inequities, sponsored by members of the California Legislative Black Caucus and stemming from the findings of the California Reparations Report

Bill Summary and Finding Legislative History

SB-1348 Postsecondary education: Designation of California Black-Serving Institutions.

SB-1348 was introduced in February 2024 by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) and signed into law on September 26, 2024 as 2024 Cal. Stat. ch. 627. The act adds Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 66076) to Chapter 2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Cal. Education Code. You can find the bill text, bill analysis, and other documents relating to this law's legislative history on the California legislature's website. 

See our California legislative history guide for information on how these documents all work together as persuasive legal authority in determining the intent behind the law as well as clarifying significant additions or deletions as the bill moved through the legislature.

SB-1348 Bill Summary (via Legislative Counsel's Digest)

  • Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and independent institutions of higher education, as defined, as 4 segments of postsecondary education in the state.
  • This bill would establish the Designation of California Black-Serving Institutions to recognize campuses of these segments that excel at providing academic resources to Black and African American students.
  • The bill would establish a governing board composed of certain members to approve or deny initial and renewal applications to receive this designation.
  • The bill would designate the California State University Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence as the managing entity and would require it to act as a neutral administrative body tasked with, among other duties, developing the application processes and processing and presenting applications to the governing board, as specified.
  • The bill would make an initial and renewal award for this designation valid for 5 years.

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