Bill Text: CA SCR89 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Sponsorship: Broadly Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed) 2026-06-16 - In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending. [SCR89 Detail]
Download: California-2025-SCR89-Amended.html
|
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 20, 2026 |
|
Amended
IN
Senate
June 25, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Concurrent Resolution
No. 89
| Introduced by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Bonta) (Coauthors: Senators Becker, Blakespear, and Richardson) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Elhawary, Harabedian, McKinnor, and Celeste Rodriguez) |
May 29, 2025 |
Relative to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 89, as amended, Smallwood-Cuevas.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
This measure would affirm the Legislature’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and encourage local, state, and federal policymakers, among other organizations, to adopt and uphold DEI principles.
Digest Key
Fiscal Committee: NOBill Text
WHEREAS, The American Dream has been a beacon of hope for generations; and
WHEREAS, The American Dream embodies the ideals of opportunity, prosperity, and upward mobility, promising that every person should have the chance to achieve what they themselves define as success and fulfillment through hard work and determination; and
WHEREAS, Many today feel as though their American Dream is unattainable; and
WHEREAS, The American Dream belongs to all of us; and
WHEREAS, Our highest accomplishments as a state and nation have been achieved when we harnessed the strengths of all people regardless of their identities to overcome our greatest challenges; and
WHEREAS, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a centuries-old movement deeply rooted in America’s founding principles and its subsequent legacy of civil rights and social justice efforts aimed at delivering the laws, policies, and initiatives that enable America to live up to our Constitution’s promises; and
WHEREAS, DEI policies, from the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, among others, reflect the corrective legislative and legal actions taken across our nation’s history to expand and guarantee access to the educational, economic, and civic obligations and capacities of our nation; and
WHEREAS, California has been a leader in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the California state service to achieve equitable work cultures; and
WHEREAS, In 2022, there was an executive order directing California state agencies and departments to take additional actions to embed equity analysis and considerations in their mission, policies, and practices to reflect the diversity found here in California and to ensure discrimination does not occur in our state agencies; and
WHEREAS, The California State Assembly passed a resolution to require the Assembly to explore methods to integrate equity more formally into its daily activities, including the potential adoption of an equity impact analysis into the existing committee and floor bill analysis process; and
WHEREAS, The California State Senate introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 136 in 2024, which urged the Senate to explore methods to integrate equity more formally into its legislative processes, including the potential adoption of an equity impact analysis into existing committee and floor bill analyses; and
WHEREAS, DEI principles and policies promote equal access to opportunities, foster an environment of respect and belonging, and ensure that every individual—regardless individual, regardless of background—can background, can fully participate in all aspects of society; and
WHEREAS, DEI policies are intended not only to promote access, but to proactively dismantle systemic inequities in education, employment, housing, health care, and civic participation that have disproportionately impacted communities of color, indigenous peoples, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and other historically excluded groups; and
WHEREAS, DEI initiatives often include targeted recruitment, culturally competent workplace training, equity-focused budgeting, inclusive curriculum development, and disaggregated data reporting in order to address measurable disparities in outcomes; and
WHEREAS, DEI is essential to creating a society where all individuals are valued, heard, and included; and
WHEREAS, DEI is based on removing barriers to opportunity so that our merits can speak for themselves; and
WHEREAS, DEI is committed to widening pathways to the American Dream for every community so that all people can reap the benefits of shared prosperity in our nation; and
WHEREAS, Freedom of speech and expression are fundamental constitutional rights, protecting the ability of individuals to voice their ideas and opinions without interference, punishment, or retaliation by the government; and
WHEREAS, Retaliatory actions such as terminating, silencing, or marginalizing qualified public servants, educators, and professionals based on their advocacy for equity or their identities—including race, gender, or LGBTQ+ status—represent a dangerous erosion of civil liberties and a threat to representative leadership in public life; and
WHEREAS, Attempts to prohibit DEI practices diminish the diversity of perspectives that strengthen our society, and conflict with antidiscrimination laws; and
WHEREAS, The federal government under the Trump administration and ongoing political actors have sought to dismantle DEI frameworks, including banning DEI training in federal agencies, attempting to eliminate race-conscious admissions policies, and threatening funding for universities that incorporate equity-related content; and
WHEREAS, These efforts not only undermine civil rights progress but contradict core democratic values enshrined in the United States Constitution and upheld through decades of precedent, such as Brown v. Board of Education, Méndez v. Westminster School District of Orange County, and Griggs v. Duke Power Co.; and
WHEREAS, Efforts to attack DEI are harmful to our country; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature affirms its commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as an essential foundation for achieving the American Dream and fostering environments where all individuals have the freedom to be healthy, prosperous, and safe and have the opportunity to realize their full potential; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature encourages local, state, and federal policymakers, educational institutions, workplaces, and other organizations to adopt and uphold DEI principles that promote inclusivity, protect freedom of expression, remove barriers, and provide equitable opportunities for all individuals to pursue their dreams; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
