In a dramatic finale to California’s legislative session, lawmakers approved only a single component of a comprehensive reparations package, leaving the broader initiative stalled. The session saw a fervent display of support from demonstrators backing the measures championed by Senator Steven Bradford, but the fate of the remaining bills remains uncertain.
Late Saturday, as the State Assembly session drew to a close, the bills were placed on hold, with only one of the trio—the land restitution bill—making it through with a unanimous vote. The remaining components, which include a proposed fund and an agency to oversee reparations eligibility, were not addressed.
Sources indicate that Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration suggested dropping the proposed agency while allocating $6 million for research into reparations, a move Bradford criticized as undermining the essence of the reforms. Newsom had previously allocated $12 million for reparations, with estimates suggesting the cost of Bradford’s proposed agency would be between $3 million and $5 million.
The proposed agency was designed to implement recommendations from the California Reparations Task Force, which investigated the state’s history of slavery and racial injustices. A report from the task force noted that between 500 and 1,500 enslaved African Americans lived in California during the Gold Rush era, despite slavery being outlawed in the state.
While Bradford’s proposed agency faced obstacles, the legislature did pass eight additional bills related to reparations, including measures against natural hairstyle discrimination and requirements for grocery stores in underserved areas to report closures.
Governor Newsom now has until the end of the month to decide whether to sign these bills into law.
