Assemblyman Luis Alejo’s bill aiming to ban the use of “Redskins” as a public school mascot name in California has passed one committee at the State Senate level, according to his office.
Alejo’s bill passed the Senate Education Committee in a 7-1 vote Thursday and now moves on to the appropriations committee on finance issues, according to Alejo’s office in a statement.
Alejo, D-Salinas, introduced the California Racial Mascots Act in the Assembly in December. It would ban the use of the name in light of public pressure for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League to change the longstanding team name.
There are four California public high schools listed with the Redskins mascot on MaxPreps.com. They include Gustine, Calaveras, Tulare and Chowchilla. There are 69 high schools in the nation with the school mascot listed on the prep sports website.
About six weeks ago, the bill passed the Assembly in a 60-9 vote.
