CA SB 437

enacted

California State University: claim eligibility: genealogy and descendancy.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper

Description

Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires the trustees to control and expend all money appropriated for the support and maintenance of the university. Former law, until July 1, 2023, established the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, with a Special Consideration for African Americans Who are Descendants of Persons Enslaved in the United States (Task Force) . Former law required the Task Force, among other things, to identify, compile, and synthesize the relevant corpus of evidentiary documentation of the institution of slavery that existed within the United States and the colonies, as specified, and to recommend the form of compensation that should be awarded, the instrumentalities through which it should be awarded, and who should be eligible for this compensation. This bill would authorize the use of up to $6,000,000, as specified, for the purpose of enabling the California State University to conduct research in furtherance of the recommendations of the Task Force, thereby making an appropriation. The bill would authorize the California State University to partner with other universities or nonprofit institutions in furtherance of the bill. The bill would require, before the start of each fiscal year, the California State University to consult with the California Legislative Black Caucus to propose a list of research components to be addressed through the appropriation, as provided. This bill would require the California State University to explore options to determine how to confirm an individual's status as a descendant of an enslaved person, as defined. The bill would also require the California State University to establish a process for conducting or verifying genealogical research for the purpose of confirming an individual's status as a descendant of an enslaved person for eligibility for reparative claims on or before the start of the 2029–30 academic year and to commence the work of establishing the process on or before the start of the 2026–27 academic year. The bill would authorize the funding described above to be used to support student participation in support of this goal. The bill would require the California State University, on or before October 1 of each year and until funding is exhausted, to submit to the Legislature and Governor a report with a status update of pending research projects, and any research projects that have been completed within the prior year. The bill would require the final report to include research findings, recommendations with options, and timelines for statewide implementation, including costs, developed pursuant to these provisions.

Introduced: 2025-02-18
Status date: —
Latest action: 2025-10-13 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 755, Statutes of 2025.
Bill type: bill,appropriation
Last updated: —

Subjects

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

2025-02-18
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
introduction,reading-1,referral-committee
2025-02-19
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.
2025-02-26
Referred to Coms. on ED. and JUD.
referral-committee
2025-03-11
Set for hearing March 26.
2025-03-26
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 566.) (March 26). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-04-03
Set for hearing April 22.
2025-04-08
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-04-23
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2. Page 835.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-04-25
Set for hearing May 5.
2025-05-05
May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-05-16
Set for hearing May 23.
2025-05-23
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 1200.) (May 23).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-05-23
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2025-05-27
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-06-02
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 1401.) Ordered to the Assembly.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-06-03
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
reading-1
2025-06-09
Referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and JUD.
referral-committee
2025-06-09
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-06-25
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 7. Noes 3.) (June 24).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-06-26
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-07-02
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-07-16
July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-08-29
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 29).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-09-02
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-09-04
Read third time and amended.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-04
Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-08
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 61. Noes 17. Page 2993.) Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-08
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-09
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2742.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-09-17
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
executive-receipt
2025-10-13
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2025-10-13
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 755, Statutes of 2025.
became-law

Versions

02/18/25 - Introduced — 2025-02-18Compare
04/08/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-04-08Compare
05/23/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-05-23Compare
06/09/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-06-09Compare
06/26/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-06-26Compare
09/04/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-09-04Compare
09/12/25 - Enrolled — 2025-09-12Compare
10/13/25 - Chaptered — 2025-10-13Compare
SB437Compare
(document, no version)Compare

Votes

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
2025-03-26 · pass · 5-2
Member-level votes (7)
- Pérez: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Laird: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: no
- Choi: no
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-04-22 · pass · 11-2
Member-level votes (13)
- Allen: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Laird: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Stern: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Valladares: no
- Niello: no
Placed on suspense file
2025-05-05 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Wahab: yes
Do pass as amended
2025-05-23 · pass · 5-1
Member-level votes (7)
- Caballero: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Seyarto: no
- Dahle: other
3rd Reading SB437 Weber Pierson et al.
2025-06-02 · pass · 28-10
Member-level votes (40)
- Menjivar: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Rubio: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Becker: yes
- Laird: yes
- Durazo: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Limón: yes
- Allen: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Stern: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: no
- Niello: no
- Seyarto: no
- Valladares: no
- Alvarado-Gil: no
- Grove: no
- Dahle: no
- Strickland: no
- Choi: no
- Jones: no
- Hurtado: other
- Reyes: other
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
2025-06-24 · pass · 7-3
Member-level votes (10)
- Boerner: yes
- Patel: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Fong: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Tangipa: no
- DeMaio: no
- Jeff Gonzalez: no
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-07-01 · pass · 9-3
Member-level votes (12)
- Connolly: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Papan: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Macedo: no
- Dixon: no
- Sanchez: no
Do pass.
2025-08-29 · pass · 11-4
Member-level votes (15)
- Elhawary: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Fong: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Solache: yes
- Sanchez: no
- Ta: no
- Tangipa: no
- Dixon: no
SB 437 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By JACKSON
2025-09-08 · pass · 61-17
Member-level votes (80)
- Ahrens: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Addis: yes
- Ward: yes
- Haney: yes
- Hart: yes
- Fong: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Bains: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Soria: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Berman: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Papan: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Lee: yes
- Alanis: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Solache: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Zbur: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Krell: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Patel: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Dixon: no
- Hoover: no
- Hadwick: no
- Tangipa: no
- Lackey: no
- Macedo: no
- Gallagher: no
- Jeff Gonzalez: no
- Sanchez: no
- Ta: no
- Chen: no
- Castillo: no
- Ellis: no
- Davies: no
- Wallis: no
- Patterson: no
- DeMaio: no
- Nguyen: other
- Flora: other
Unfinished Business SB437 Weber Pierson et al. Concurrence
2025-09-09 · pass · 30-10
Member-level votes (40)
- Richardson: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Stern: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Becker: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Rubio: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Laird: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Limón: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Reyes: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Allen: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Niello: no
- Ochoa Bogh: no
- Dahle: no
- Grove: no
- Jones: no
- Valladares: no
- Seyarto: no
- Strickland: no
- Choi: no
- Alvarado-Gil: no

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB437

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T01:34:27.960412Z

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