The Associated Students 76th Senate proposed several new bills that would reform its legal code on July 30. Associated Students President Le Anh Metzger discussed plans regarding the University of California’s ban on student governments boycotting countries.

Metzger said she is working with other UC presidents to establish improved communication and collaboration with the UC Office of the President. Wesley Haver / Daily Nexus

The meeting began with public comment from second-year mechanical engineering and physics double major Eddie Barajas, who requested $5,000 to host Salud Carbajal, congressman for the 24th congressional district of California, including Santa Barbara County. Barajas is starting a new campus organization to provide students with a free speaker series. 

First President Pro Tempore and second-year political science major Evan Sussman presented a new bill to update the legal code for the Associated Students (A.S.) Pearman Fellowship program. The program teaches new students about A.S. and legal code through mentorship and guided sessions. According to Sussman, the update is necessary because of issues with honoraria and clarity. 

“It’s also a way for students to learn how our association works, and that way, there can be leaders who start out as freshmen and hopefully can become leaders one day in the future of our association,” Sussman said. 

The bill was referred to the outreach committee for further consideration. 

Second President Pro Tempore and fourth-year political science major Melanie Jones presented a new bill to update Boards, Committees and Units (BCU) election code in response to the Trans and Queer Commission (TQC) holding their election outside of the designated election cycle. Jones found that the ability for the Senate to grant election extensions for BCUs was not written in legal code and said this bill will fill that gap. The bill was referred to the liaison committee. 

Senators Natalia Pascher, a third-year political science major and Vanessa Manakova, a third-year history of public policy and global studies major, presented a resolution to establish a Department of Legacy Gauchos Discovery and Feasibility Committee to build stronger alumni connections with A.S. This bill was tabled for the next meeting over concerns of A.S. jurisdiction over alumni affairs. 

At third-year global studies, communication and Spanish triple major Metzger’s request, a bill was added to the agenda to update the legal code of the Office of the President. The bill proposes updating language pertaining to roles within the office and adding special projects coordinators to the president’s staff. This bill was referred to the liaison committee. 

The Senate then passed a motion to reallocate residual funds from the Black Women’s Health Collective (BWHC) 2025 fiscal year budget to the Office of Black Student Development. This was a commitment that the BWHC made in the winter and spring 2025 quarters. 

During executive reports, Metzger spoke on her plans to address the recent UC ban on student governments boycotting Israel issued in response to widespread Boycott, Divest and Sanctions movement against Israel across college campuses. She said she is working with other UC presidents to establish improved communication and collaboration with the UC Office of the President for similar matters. Metzger emphasized the “importance of student government autonomy and financial autonomy.”

The Senate then bundled and approved all appointments and resignations with the exception of the liaison committee, which will be reconfigured under new leadership. The meeting concluded with the acceptance of the resignation of Senator and second-year psychology and brain sciences and sociology double major Victoria Ly as chair of the liaison committee.