66018.4.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to stop the practice of legacy and donor admissions and protect students receiving Cal Grant funds as they pursue their higher education.(b) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Donor preference in admissions” means considering an applicant’s relation to a donor of, or a donation to, the independent institution of higher education as a factor in the admission admissions process.
(2) “Independent institution of higher education” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010.
(3) “Legacy preference in admissions” means considering an applicant’s relation to an alumni of the independent institution of higher education as a factor in the admission admissions process, including asking an applicant to indicate where their relatives attended college and including that information among the documents that the independent institution of higher education uses to consider an applicant for admission.
(c) An
independent institution of higher education shall not provide a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions to an applicant as part of the regular or early action admission admissions process.
(d) A violation of subdivision (c) shall result in a civil penalty equal to the amount the independent institution of higher education receives in the year before the violation occurred pursuant to the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant Program (Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 69430) of Part 42) or the Cal Grant Reform Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 69405) of Part 42), as applicable. The civil penalty shall be assessed and recovered by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
Department of Justice and deposited into the Cal Grant Account, which is hereby established in the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, funds in the Cal Grant Account shall be available for purposes of funding the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant Program (Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 69430) of Part 42) and the Cal Grant Reform Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 69405) of Part 42).
(e) The Civil Rights
Department Department of Justice shall post the names of the independent institutions of higher education that violate subdivision (c) on its internet website. The information shall be provided to the Civil Rights Department by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
(f) On or before June 30, 2026, and annually thereafter, an independent institution of higher education shall report to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, both of the following:
(1) The race, geography, income brackets, and athletic status of all admitted students at the independent
institution of higher education.
(2) The admission rate of students who are provided a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions, as compared to the admission rate of students who are not provided a legacy preference or donor preference in admissions.