Urge CA Senators to Reject ACA-7: Keep Discrimination Illegal!

Urge CA Senators to Reject ACA-7: Keep Discrimination Illegal!

Started
December 22, 2023
Petition to
Signatures: 7,178Next Goal: 7,500
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Why this petition matters

They just won’t stop!

The California Legislature is at it again.  They want to nullify the provision of the California Constitution that says: “The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin...” 

Those precious words were put there in 1996 by a voter initiative known as Proposition 209.  Even then, Californians were fed up with government policies that favor some individuals over others based on their race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Back then, they wanted the same thing we want now - for Californians to be treated equally.

Just three years ago, in 2020, California legislators tried to strike those words from the constitution.  And the legislators didn’t hide their reason:  They wanted the power to grant preferential treatment to favored groups.  Fortunately, California voters refused to go along.  The Legislature’s proposal - known as Proposition 16 - went down in flames with 57% of voters saying NO.   

Astonishingly, the California Legislature is trying again.  The new proposal - known as Assembly Constitutional Amendment 7 or ACA-7- is trickier.  Instead of repealing the words outright, it gives the Governor the power to make “exceptions” to Proposition 209.  If the Governor can point to “research” that purports to find that discrimination would be a good thing, he or she can make an exception.

In other words, ACA-7 asks California voters to pre-approve unknown exceptions to their fundamental right to be treated equally.  This is an insult to voters’ intelligence.  If ACA-7 becomes law, present and future governors will be able to make as many exceptions as they like, so long as they can find “research” that says it’s okay to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin, etc.

We all know that “research” can be found or created to support practically anything. If voters approve ACA-7, the exceptions will swallow the rule.

The California Legislature needs to learn to take NO for an answer.  Proposition 16 was defeated—even though its proponents spent massive sums trying to get it passed. ACA-7 is a regressive scheme to reverse the voters’ decision. 

Unfortunately, ACA-7 has already passed in the Assembly.  It is currently pending in the Senate.  If it is approved there, it will go on the ballot (and taxpayer money will have to be spent on the necessary election procedures to be implemented for it). 

ACA-7 should never have gotten as far as it has.  We, the undersigned, urge all California state senators to oppose it.

For more info about ACA-7 and join our coalition: https://noonaca7.org

#NoACA7 #KeepDiscriminationIllegal

Short Link to this Petition: change.org/VoteNoOnACA7

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Signatures: 7,178Next Goal: 7,500
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • California State Senate
  • Senator Thomas J. UmbergMember, Senate Standing Committee on Elections and Constitutional
  • Senator Josh NewmanMember, Senate Standing Committee on Elections and Constitutional
  • Senator Caroline MenjivarMember, Senate Standing Committee on Elections and Constitutional
  • Senator Benjamin AllenMember, Senate Standing Committee on Elections and Constitutional