Lawmakers in the State Senate voted in favor of bilingual education (CA/Creative Commons)

Voters passed Proposition 227 in 1998, imposing a wide range of restrictions on the bilingual education, essentially banning it. This proposition has been met with a wide range of criticisms, most arguing that it squanders one of the state’s most valuable resources: a largely bilingual youth.

The new bill, authored by California State Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) will give the decision yet again to California voters by placing a measure on the 2016 ballot that will repeal the components of Prop. 227 enforcing English only education.

“Children who participate in multilingual programs not only outperform their peers, they also have higher earning potential when they enter the workforce," Lara told the Los Angeles Times.

The new bill is not without criticisms, however. Eight Republicans voted against it. Senator Jim Nielson (R-Gerber) voted against it, arguing that bilingual education will inevitably result in the state “putting out children who are functionally illiterate in two languages.”

The bill now moves to the California state assembly.