New California laws address college admissions scandal

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a trio of laws targeting college admissions following a scandal involving the arrest of 50 people for using bribes to get their children into elite schools.

Newsom announced Friday he had signed laws tightening rules on when colleges can admit students who don’t meet eligibility requirements and requiring schools to tell the Legislature if they give any preferential treatment.

He also signed a law to prevent people who are found guilty in the scandal from receiving certain tax benefits.

The laws were among the 21 bills relating to higher education that Newsom announced he had signed.

Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting, a sponsor of one of the bills, says it’s important for the Legislature to know about the admission practices of colleges who receive state-funded benefits.