The number of applicants to the University of California (UC) declining to position their race has nearly doubled since Proposition 209, the constitutional amendment banning race preferences, took effect. . Given these continental shifts, supporters believe the state needs to catch up and recognize that Californians increasingly no longer see themselves in racial ban. These arguments for proposition 54 many very well are true; however, the future of our healthcare, education and housing may be affected negatively by this initiative. .
Proposition 54 includes an exemption that will allow for the collection and use of some data for medical purposes. The exemption reads: "Otherwise lawful classification of medical research subjects and patients shall be exempt from this section." This exemption would allow state agencies and university medical schools to continue to test the effect of a new drug treatment against a placebo in a hospital setting, but this is only one of the states many data and research needs. The exemption would still prevent, for example, the University of California from conducting a survey of the general population on their health behaviors and needs, and prevent county health departments from devising appropriate remedies. If Connerly's initiative were law, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health would have been hampered in its efforts to prevent infant deaths related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Every other year, the county conducts random telephone surveys of its residents. The year 2000 survey uncovered the fact that the County's "Back to Sleep" campaign, which encouraged mother's to put their infants to sleep on their backs, and thus prevent deaths, was not reaching African American mothers. According to the survey, African American mothers were three times more likely to put their children to sleep on their stomachs. The County took steps to reduce those numbers, by conducting targeted outreach efforts to African American mothers and providers to encourage a change in behavior that would save infant lives.
