March 17, 2014 (626)430-2499
Senator Ed Hernandez Announces Bicameral Commission on SCA 5
and
Equal Opportunity in Higher Education
(Sacramento, CA)---In collaboration with Senate pro Tem
Darrell Steinberg and
Speaker John Perez, we are announcing the formation of a
joint Senate and Assembly
Commission tasked with holding hearings up and down the
state to solicit expert
testimony, as well as public input, concerning SCA 5 and
equal opportunity in
California』s public institutions of higher learning.
Given the scare tactics and misinformation used by certain
groups opposed to SCA 5,
we felt it was necessary to have a discussion based on facts
and take the time to hear
from experts on the challenges our public universities and
colleges face with regards
to diversity, as well as the implications for California』s
workforce and our overall
competitiveness in a global economy. Although I have met
with, and will continue to
meet with, individuals and organizations that have concerns
regarding SCA 5, these
Commission hearings will be yet another opportunity for
people to have their voices
heard.
Even though SCA 5 has been moving through the Legislature
since early last year, I
have agreed to hold the bill until this Commission has
completed its work and allow
even more time for a robust and constructive debate about
how we improve and
expand opportunities in California』s higher education
system. I look forward to the
discussions ahead and the opportunity to work with my
colleagues in the Senate and
the Assembly, and all Californians, to address the serious
inequities in our higher
education system