June 25th 2024.
Governor Gavin Newsom and his fellow Democratic leaders made an exciting announcement on June 22nd. They revealed a budget of $12 million that will go towards supporting reparations-related bills that are set to pass in 2024.
This impressive budget will support a total of 15 proposals that have been drafted by the Legislative Black Caucus. One of these proposals includes issuing an official apology from the Golden State for the pain and suffering inflicted upon Black Californians during slavery.
Assemblywoman Lori Wilson expressed her excitement for this move, stating that it is a huge win for the Black community. In addition to the bills, the budget will also support two constitutional amendments, one of which has yet to be written. Wilson praised the governor and other leaders for recognizing their obligation to those impacted by slavery, even in a challenging year of budget deficits.
This approval was exactly what Black lawmakers had been hoping for after a yearlong battle following a study by a task force on how to implement reparations. However, not all residents are on board with the idea. A poll conducted by the University of California, Berkeley in September 2023 showed that many residents were against Black individuals receiving any form of reparations, including cash payments. Interestingly, 76% of Black respondents were in favor of cash payments, while 66% of white voters opposed the idea.
Despite this opposition, many Californians are looking forward to this historic measure, which will be the first of its kind at the state level. To gather further input and discuss the study and next steps, lawmakers are planning to take a statewide tour and engage with residents.
California Democrats have sparked a conversation that other state leaders are now considering. In fact, in December 2023, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill to establish a reparations commission that will examine the state's history of slavery and racism.
Among the proposed bills is one by Senator Steven Bradford, which aims to establish the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency. This new department will have several important responsibilities, such as protecting prison inmates who refuse to work from punishment and providing grants for community efforts to reduce crime in neighborhoods and schools. Under Senator Bradford's leadership, the agency will also investigate cases of racially motivated eminent domain, which gives the government the power to take private property and convert it into public use.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Senator Bradford has been working closely with descendants of California residents who have lost out on financial gains due to properties they were forced to sell. He shared, “There are multiple examples of African American families who were forced off their land for no other reason than they didn’t want them there anymore. And now their homes have been replaced with freeways or parking lots, or as in Manhattan Beach, an alleged park that was planned 40 years before it was actually developed.”
Senator Bradford's reparations legislation will also establish a process for families to bring up valid claims if they feel their property was unjustly seized. The Office of Legal Affairs will take on these cases and present potential remedies for the offenders of eminent domain, such as returning the property or providing monetary compensation.
All of these bills are expected to pass by the end of the legislative session on August 31st. This is a significant step towards acknowledging and addressing the impact of slavery and racial injustice in California, and it sets an example for other states to follow.
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