craig
2024-06-03 19:50:21 UTC
The California state Senate passed three reparations bills on Tuesday,
advancing a broader legislative effort to provide restitution to
descendants of slaves.
The bills passed this week are part of more than a dozen reparations
bills proposed by the California Legislative Black Caucus earlier this
year, ABC7 reported. The bills "issue an apology to Black Californians
for the state's role in instituting slave laws and discriminatory
practices since its founding," the outlet wrote.
The bills will now head to the California State Assembly for votes.
California introduced a package of reparations bills in January that
would give property compensation and cash payouts to the descendants of
slaves and other Black Californians.
The assembly voted down previous bills on the issue, including one which
would have provided homeownership aid and another which would have
offered property tax relief for descendants of slaves, according to ABC7.
BOSTON ACTIVISTS CALL FOR $15 BILLION IN REPARATIONS, SAYS THE CITY MUST
‘FULLY COMMIT TO WRITING CHECKS’
The SB 1403 bill passed in the state senate this week addresses the
creation of the California Freedmen Affairs Agency, which would ensure
that a recipient of potential reparations meets the eligibility criteria.
Recipients would need to be a descendant of slaves or a free Black
person living in the U.S. prior to the end of the 19th century. SB 1050
would mandate the California Freedmen Affairs Agency to pay families who
have had their property seized from them due to "race-based" eminent
domain.
SB 1331 allocates funds for reparations policies signed into law by the
governor, as reported by ABC7. Democrat state Senator Steven Bradford of
Southern California, who authored the three bills said on the floor, "If
you can inherit generational wealth, you can inherit generational debt."
REPARATIONS IN AMERICA: HOW CITIES FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO WILMINGTON ARE
TRYING TO GET IT DONE
"Reparations is a debt that's owed to descendants of slavery," he added.
"These are not a handout or charity by any measure. It is what was
promised, it's what is owed and what is 160 years overdue."
The bills come after the California Assembly passed a bill last month
accepting responsibility for "all of the harms and atrocities committed
by the state." "It is undeniable that our systems of government have
been complicit in the oppression of African Americans. ... California’s
history is tarnished by the subjugation of Black people," Assembly
Speaker Robert Rivas said in support of the bill. "It is a wound that
still needs to heal."
REPARATIONS MAKE INCREASINGLY LESS SENSE AS AMERICA GROWS MORE DIVERSE,
THINK TANK REPORT ARGUES
California is part of a trend of local and state governments across the
U.S. establishing a task force that would recommend how reparations
would be executed.
In Boston, Massachusetts, task force members will propose reparations
measures based on historical research and other factors compiled by the
experts for City Hall to consider.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul established a reparations task force last
year in December.
Not all voters support compensating qualifying Black residents. A poll
released in September found that a majority of voters in California are
opposed to cash payments to the descendants of slaves.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/california-state-senate-passes-three-reparations-bills-apologizing-slavery-debt-owed
advancing a broader legislative effort to provide restitution to
descendants of slaves.
The bills passed this week are part of more than a dozen reparations
bills proposed by the California Legislative Black Caucus earlier this
year, ABC7 reported. The bills "issue an apology to Black Californians
for the state's role in instituting slave laws and discriminatory
practices since its founding," the outlet wrote.
The bills will now head to the California State Assembly for votes.
California introduced a package of reparations bills in January that
would give property compensation and cash payouts to the descendants of
slaves and other Black Californians.
The assembly voted down previous bills on the issue, including one which
would have provided homeownership aid and another which would have
offered property tax relief for descendants of slaves, according to ABC7.
BOSTON ACTIVISTS CALL FOR $15 BILLION IN REPARATIONS, SAYS THE CITY MUST
‘FULLY COMMIT TO WRITING CHECKS’
The SB 1403 bill passed in the state senate this week addresses the
creation of the California Freedmen Affairs Agency, which would ensure
that a recipient of potential reparations meets the eligibility criteria.
Recipients would need to be a descendant of slaves or a free Black
person living in the U.S. prior to the end of the 19th century. SB 1050
would mandate the California Freedmen Affairs Agency to pay families who
have had their property seized from them due to "race-based" eminent
domain.
SB 1331 allocates funds for reparations policies signed into law by the
governor, as reported by ABC7. Democrat state Senator Steven Bradford of
Southern California, who authored the three bills said on the floor, "If
you can inherit generational wealth, you can inherit generational debt."
REPARATIONS IN AMERICA: HOW CITIES FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO WILMINGTON ARE
TRYING TO GET IT DONE
"Reparations is a debt that's owed to descendants of slavery," he added.
"These are not a handout or charity by any measure. It is what was
promised, it's what is owed and what is 160 years overdue."
The bills come after the California Assembly passed a bill last month
accepting responsibility for "all of the harms and atrocities committed
by the state." "It is undeniable that our systems of government have
been complicit in the oppression of African Americans. ... California’s
history is tarnished by the subjugation of Black people," Assembly
Speaker Robert Rivas said in support of the bill. "It is a wound that
still needs to heal."
REPARATIONS MAKE INCREASINGLY LESS SENSE AS AMERICA GROWS MORE DIVERSE,
THINK TANK REPORT ARGUES
California is part of a trend of local and state governments across the
U.S. establishing a task force that would recommend how reparations
would be executed.
In Boston, Massachusetts, task force members will propose reparations
measures based on historical research and other factors compiled by the
experts for City Hall to consider.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul established a reparations task force last
year in December.
Not all voters support compensating qualifying Black residents. A poll
released in September found that a majority of voters in California are
opposed to cash payments to the descendants of slaves.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/california-state-senate-passes-three-reparations-bills-apologizing-slavery-debt-owed