California’s Reparations Bill: What Happened and What’s Next
Recently California lawmakers voted on a set of bills. These bills targeted to help repair some of the damage caused by slavery and systemic racism in the state. However only one of the three bills was approved. Many supporters have been left frustrated and disappointed.
What Was the Goal of the Bills?
The three bills had different goals:
- Land Restitution: The approved bill enables the state to return or compensate families who have lost their land unfairly. This is an important step toward assisting people who have been affected by land theft which frequently occurs through methods such as eminent domain.
- Reparations Fund: This is a bill that did not pass. It was aimed to provide direct reparations to Black Californians affected by slavery and racism.
- New Agency : This is the other failed bill. It was proposed to establish a new state agency the Freedmen Affairs Agency. This agency would be in charge of overseeing the reparations program and ensuring that it was distributed fairly and effectively.
Why Were Only Some Bills Approved?
Governor Gavin Newsom's administration expressed concerns about the cost of these bills. California recently had to make big budget cuts so Newsom and his team suggested changes to the bills. They proposed that instead of creating a new agency right away the state should spend money to study the issue more closely. They suggested giving $6 million to California State University to research how to implement reparations properly.
Many people who support the reparations package including State Senator Steven Bradford were unhappy with these changes. They argued that creating a fund and an agency were crucial for the plan to work and make a real difference. They believe the state needs to commit to these changes now rather than delay them with further studies.
What Do Opponents Say?
Some members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (a group of lawmakers who support the reparations plan) were worried that if they pushed the remaining bills through Governor Newsom might veto them. A veto would be seen as a big setback for the whole reparations effort. So they decided to hold off on pushing the bills through for now.
What Comes Next?
While the situation is frustrating for many this is not the end of the conversation about reparations in California. Supporters of reparations are determined to continue their fight. They are calling for more action from the governor and the state legislature. Meanwhile California has also passed other laws that aim to fight racial disparities such as protecting natural hairstyles and requiring grocery stores in underserved communities to notify the state if they plan to close.
