You may recall CFER’s legislative alert in April, which summarizes a list of problematic state bills introduced earlier this year. These bills promote preferential treatment, ideological inculcation and identity politics at the expense of equality and merit. On the list was AB 2030, a proposal for preferential treatment in state contracts favoring “an LGBT business enterprise, a minority business enterprise, or a women business enterprise.” Surprisingly, the bill was authored by a Republican lawmaker.

We are happy to report that AB 2030 is now “held under submission” after failing to clear the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 16. While the status change does not prelude the bill from being set for a future hearing, it means that the author has indicated a change of mind and that AB 2030 will most likely be stopped at the committee level. Alas, another divisive, race-obsessed, and identity-based piece of legislation bites the dust!

Thankfully, Assemblywoman Laurie Davies has chosen to be on the right side of the issue and aborted the plan to advance the unwise proposal. It is also important to note that AB 2030’s failure did not happen in a vacuum, but as a result of teamwork, proactive policy monitoring and awareness building.

In late February, the California Family Council (CFC) alerted CFER to AB 2030 and started a campaign to urge voters to oppose it. Thanks to CFC’s timely alert, CFER quickly contacted the bill author with a request for withdrawing the bill and submitted a strong position letter. We also broke the news to our allies and partner organizations, among whom the Pacific Legal Foundation also signaled its opposition against the bill. Many friends of CFER, like yourself, took your action and contacted state lawmakers to voice your concern. Under the pressure from multiple organizations and stakeholders, the bill author eventually decided against pushing AB 2030 forward.

Along with our friends, we are taking on the entrenched norms of racial spoils, identity politics and political favoritism in progressive California, one step at a time!** I hope you find this development encouraging.

At the same time, we are cognizant of the fact that a multitude of challenges are still ahead. After all, the California Legislature is still determined to advance a plethora of reparations-themed bills. In the sphere of public education, the University of California is now reconsidering a proposal to add liberated ethnic studies to its A-G undergraduate admissions requirements. You can read more about these issues in two recent essays by CFER Executive Director Dr. Wenyuan Wu on reparations (here) and the ethnic studies movement (here). CFER will continue to monitor these developments and keep you updated.

On June 2 (5-8 pm), CFER Advisor Eli Steele and his team will host a special screening of his latest documentary “Killing America: Can the Nation’s Schools be Saved?” in San Diego at the Randy School of Management (10065 Scholars Drive North San Diego, CA 92093). This is an important film that juxtaposes the Woke Triangle of dumbing-down, indoctrination and antisemitism. You can read more about this must-watch documentary in Dr. Wu's OPEDs here and here. And if you are in San Diego, get your ticket to the screening here before the seats are sold out! If you trust in our track record as a vanguard against discrimination and indoctrination, will you support CFER with a generous donation today?