The California Legislative Black Caucus on Thursday held their first news conference since last year’s fall out over reparations, and group leaders refused to answer questions about what happened. On the final night of California’s legislative session last year, the group blocked two of its own priorities to establish a reparations-related state agency and set up a state fund. It sparked a large protest in the Capitol rotunda that night. On Thursday, the group of lawmakers resurrected the state agency proposal and a variety of other proposed laws that have struggled to either get voter or full legislative approval in previous years. The group’s priority is to support California’s Black community and address state inequities. “We maintain our commitment to transparency, integrity and collaboration,” caucus leader, Democratic San Diego State Senator Akilah Weber Pierson said at the conclusion of the 35-minute news conference in which she would only take two questions from reporters. Days before blocking their own reparations bills last year, the California Legislative Black Caucus played a role in the passage of one of the most controversial and high-profile bills to move through the state legislature. CLBC member Democratic Inglewood Assemblymember Tina McKinnor carried and successfully passed a bill allowing a billionaire’s 100-person VIP club to be the only establishment in California to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. State law allows the sale up until 2 a.m. Every member of the CLBC voted for the bill, with the exception of Weber Pierson, who abstained from the vote, legislative records show. The governor signed the legislation shortly after. McKinnor dodged a series of questions about her involvement in the bill at the time. McKinnor also did not show up to the CLBC press conference on Thursday but was seen on the Assembly floor later that morning. When asked about the split screen of supporting a billionaire in his quest to have the drinking hours extended for him in California while blocking proposals the CLBC prioritized for the Black community, Democratic Los Angeles Assemblyman Isaac Bryan refused to answer the question. “Are there any questions about this package before we go to session?” Bryan said when KCRA 3 asked how the group expects Californians to trust them to get their priorities through after what happened last year. “We are entertaining questions about our reparations package this year,” Weber Pierson said. “The bill that you’re referring to was not a part of the California Legislative Black Caucus priorities last year, that was an individual member’s bill. We not only have to represent Black Californians but also the communities in which we come from.” See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The California Legislative Black Caucus on Thursday held their first news conference since last year’s fall out over reparations, and group leaders refused to answer questions about what happened.
On the final night of California’s legislative session last year, the group blocked two of its own priorities to establish a reparations-related state agency and set up a state fund. It sparked a large protest in the Capitol rotunda that night.
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On Thursday, the group of lawmakers resurrected the state agency proposal and a variety of other proposed laws that have struggled to either get voter or full legislative approval in previous years. The group’s priority is to support California’s Black community and address state inequities.
“We maintain our commitment to transparency, integrity and collaboration,” caucus leader, Democratic San Diego State Senator Akilah Weber Pierson said at the conclusion of the 35-minute news conference in which she would only take two questions from reporters.
Days before blocking their own reparations bills last year, the California Legislative Black Caucus played a role in the passage of one of the most controversial and high-profile bills to move through the state legislature.
CLBC member Democratic Inglewood Assemblymember Tina McKinnor carried and successfully passed a bill allowing a billionaire’s 100-person VIP club to be the only establishment in California to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. State law allows the sale up until 2 a.m.
Every member of the CLBC voted for the bill, with the exception of Weber Pierson, who abstained from the vote, legislative records show.
The governor signed the legislation shortly after. McKinnor dodged a series of questions about her involvement in the bill at the time. McKinnor also did not show up to the CLBC press conference on Thursday but was seen on the Assembly floor later that morning.
When asked about the split screen of supporting a billionaire in his quest to have the drinking hours extended for him in California while blocking proposals the CLBC prioritized for the Black community, Democratic Los Angeles Assemblyman Isaac Bryan refused to answer the question.
“Are there any questions about this package before we go to session?” Bryan said when KCRA 3 asked how the group expects Californians to trust them to get their priorities through after what happened last year.
“We are entertaining questions about our reparations package this year,” Weber Pierson said. “The bill that you’re referring to was not a part of the California Legislative Black Caucus priorities last year, that was an individual member’s bill. We not only have to represent Black Californians but also the communities in which we come from.”
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
