Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation:

Increases Ethnic Studies Requirements for Graduation  

Sacramento, Calif. – California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D, announced that the proponent of a new initiative was cleared to begin collecting petition signatures on May 30, 2025. 

The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to the Secretary of State, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Secretary of State then provides a calendar of deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows: 

INCREASES ETHNIC STUDIES REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Under current law, undergraduate students at the California State University (CSU) must complete one three-unit ethnic studies course to graduate. This measure would change CSU’s graduation requirements to require, beginning in the 2030-2031 academic year: (1) undergraduate students to complete two ethnic studies courses (one three-unit lower division course and one three-unit upper division course); and (2) graduate students to complete one three-unit ethnic studies course. Prohibits the Legislature from reducing the number of required courses for graduation or altering required course curriculum. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Increased state costs in the tens of millions of dollars annually during initial implementation of the measure, with the bulk of costs phasing out over time. (25-0003.) 

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1979 and the Attorney General's tracking number is 25-0003. 

The proponent of the measure, Emeka Ogbatue, must collect signatures of 546,651 registered voters (five percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2022 general election) in order for the measure to become eligible for the ballot. The proponent has 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials no later than November 26, 2025. The address for the proponent is 420 N McKinley St., Unit #111-307, Corona, CA 92879. The proponent may also be contacted at eogbatue@goldenvalues.org. 

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