California’s Ratification of the 14th

With all the recent discussion of the role that the 14th Amendment played in the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, it might be worth a quick review of California’s history with the 14th.

The 14th Amendment was proposed by Congress on June 13, 1866. The issue was not taken up during the legislative sessions of 1867-68 or 1869-70, although they did pass a resolution rejecting the 15th Amendment.

It wasn’t until 90 years later that the 14th Amendment was finally ratified by California. In 1959, Assemblymen Bruce F. Allen and John C. Williamson introduced AJR 32, which provided for California’s ratification. The resolution passed 66-0 in the Assembly on April 24 and 29-0 in the Senate on May 6.