California Slavery Reparations Bills Unraveled Over Gavin Newsom Amendments

A California state lawmaker is blaming Gov. Gavin Newsom for the stalling of key slavery reparations bills on the final day of the legislative session.

Democratic state Sen. Steven Bradford and other advocates backing the state’s multiyear effort to repair harms from institutional racism say Newsom’s aides pushed to dramatically narrow a proposal for a new state reparations agency. The changes mean the state would instead simply authorize the further study of the issue.

Draft amendments obtained by POLITICO Saturday, but dated Monday, proposed sending $6 million to California State University to study how to implement recommendations from the state’s task force on reparations, including how to confirm the status of a person seeking reparations. The draft changes remove the bill’s core purpose: creating a new Freedmen Affairs Agency.

Bradford’s office confirmed the authenticity of the draft and said it had come from the Newsom administration. The senator told reporters the governor’s office had cited cost pressures during a year in which the state had to trim billions from its budget.

Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon would not answer questions about changes to the bill sought by the governor’s office, saying only that Newsom has “been working collaboratively with the Legislative Black Caucus on their reparations package.” He pointed to a lengthy statement the governor gave during his January budget presentation.

The state task force issued a lengthy report last year with wide-ranging recommendations following extensive research and public testimony. The two bills that stalled Saturday were among more than a dozen resulting legislative proposals. Black Caucus members have said the group intends to spend years implementing the task force’s findings.

{snip}

Several reparations bills promoted by the California Legislative Black Caucus passed the Legislature this year. They include one from Bradford creating a process for Californians whose land was stolen from them through eminent domain. Another from Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer requires the state to formally apologize for slavery, racism and discrimination.

{snip}