LOS ANGELES, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The largest Asian American civil rights organization in the United States Tuesday urged the state legislature of California to expand access to higher education, especially those who are disadvantaged and underserved.

　　Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA)also urged the state legislature to focus on expanding educational opportunities for all California students, after California State Assembly Speaker John Perez Monday halted a constitutional amendment, known as SCA5, which the Asian America deemed biased against them.

　　"Now is the time for a broad, bold, and inclusive solution to this problem - one that must necessarily expand the pie for all California students such as through expanding college slots, instead of just redistributing currently limited resources," Stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of Advancing Justice-LA told reporters Tuesday.

　　He said that Asian Americans should unite with other ethnic groups to seek equal educational opportunities for all, not just for any single ethnic group.

　　The organization urged the Senate to reflect the diversity of the state, and to hold hearings throughout the state to ensure a broad range of input.

　　"In the past five years, California has cut its spending on public higher education by nearly 30 percent, while also increasing tuition and fees," said Mike Eng, member of the Board of Trustees for the Los Angeles Community College District.

　　Eng said the tuition has doubled but government spending on education was reduced rapidly.

　　The organization also appealed for reversing disinvestment in public higher education, ensuring more slots for all California students, and making higher education more affordable.