Reparations activists In california The ignored bills that were shelved in September will hopefully be reintroduced by a lawmaker during the next special session called by Gov. Gavin Newsom in January.
“This is one of the basic demands or orders from the community and reparations leaders is for the legislator, and it doesn't even have to be a Black legislator, but a legislator to reintroduce the two bills that failed,” California Reparations Task Force Chair Camilla Moore told Fox News Digital in an interview this week. .
InvoicesSB 1403 and SB 1331, would have created the U.S. Freedman Affairs Agency in California to oversee compensation programs and create a dedicated fund to implement compensation policies, respectively. Both were rejected after supporters said the bills would not move forward and would be signed by Newsom.
Protests erupted at the California State Capitol after a pair of reparations bills were delayed
Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, right, speaks to members of the Alliance for a Fair and Equitable California about two reparations bills, Aug. 31, 2024, at the Capitol in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Tran Nguyen)
“I think Newsom's reasoning may have been political, because he didn't think these reparations would become serious so quickly,” Moore said. “And then in this particular election year when Kamala (Harris) was running for president, you can't seem too progressive in this political environment that we're in.”
The two bills, drafted by members of the California Legislative Black Caucus, were pivotal for the Reparations Task Force to implement atonement for what supporters said was a legacy of racist policies that led to black disparities, from housing to education to health.
the California's legislature is led by Democrats He passed a series of other bills aimed at addressing past racial injustices, but none provided direct payments to African Americans.
“I feel like I'm in the caucus and… Even Newsom They were supportive of these laws, and there is evidence of that. “The Black Caucus wrote that letter in June wanting to give $6 million to their friends, the Black Freedom Fund, which is a problem,” Moore said. “But the letter also said they wanted to give $6 million to the compensation agency, but then at the last minute, in August, they decided to scrap the compensation agency fund bill.”
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Gavin Newsom (Anatolia/Contributor/Archive)
At that time, Sen. Stephen Bradford, who has now been fired, said the bills did not move forward for fear they would not get past Newsom's desk.
“We are at the finish line, and we as a Black Caucus owe it to the descendants of chattel slavery, to Black Californians and Black Americans to move this legislation forward,” Bradford said, urging his colleagues to reconsider the bills.
When the bills were withdrawn, a group of protesters inside the Capitol in Sacramento became angry after they were promised the bills would get time.
Republican state Rep. Bill Al-Asili Accused Democrats In a post on
Al-Asili spoke to supporters at the Capitol that day and made clear that he does not support California taxpayers paying for the wrongs of the slave states, but that he “believes there should be a debate and a recorded vote on this issue.” He then urged the Legislative Council to submit draft laws for discussion.
“I don’t think you can constitutionally justify cash payments based on race,” Al-Asili told Fox News Digital in an interview this week. (President-elect) Trump created “Opportunity Zones, which has led to direct investments in minority communities, so I think there are other (ways) we can get resources and investments to those who have been harmed by racist policies and slavery for a long time.”
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Members of the Coalition for a Fair and Equitable California protest and demand lawmakers vote on two reparations bills, on August 31, 2024, in Sacramento, California. (AP Photo/Tran Nguyen)
There are two new compensation bills on California's agenda that were introduced during the December 2 special session.
AB 7, introduced by Democratic Assembly members Isaac Bryan and Tina McInor, proposes to allow California institutions of higher education, including California State University, the University of California, independent colleges and private post-secondary institutions, to consider giving admission preference to applicants of American descent. . Slavery.
AB 57, introduced by McKinnor, seeks to allocate a portion of California Home Purchase Assistance Program funds to descendants of slaves.
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Newsom has remained silent on most reparations bills introduced this year, but he approved a nearly $300 billion budget in June, which included up to $12 million for reparations. Budget He did not provide details on the proposals the money would support, and his administration has expressed opposition to some of the measures.
However, he did sign some bills related to reparations, including “a formal apology for California’s historic role in perpetuating slavery and its lasting legacy.”
“The state of California accepts responsibility for the role we played in promoting, facilitating and permitting the institution of slavery, as well as its enduring legacy of persistent racial disparities,” Newsom said in a statement in September. “Building on decades of work, California is now taking another important step forward in recognizing the grave injustices of the past — and making amends for the harms they caused.”
Bradford Betz of Fox News Digital and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
