On April 1, 2022, in Crest v. Padilla, California Superior Court Judge Terry Green granted summary judgment in favor of plaintiffs who had challenged AB 979, one of California’s two board diversity statutes, as violating the California Constitution. The complaint in Crest v. Padilla was filed in 2020 by three California taxpayers who sought to enjoin the California Secretary of State from using taxpayer funds in effectuating or ensuring compliance with AB 979. The California Secretary of State has not yet indicated whether it intends to appeal the Court’s order. Regardless of the outcome of the challenge to AB 979, and a related challenge that is currently pending to SB 826, California’s board gender diversity statute, board diversity remains an important area of focus for public companies today.