A group of supporters of reparations for the descendants of enslaved Black Americans spent all afternoon inside the state capitol to protest the California Legislative Black Caucus’ plan to not move forward with two reparations-related proposals. The two bills are SB 1403 and SB 1331. SB 1403 would establish a Reparations-related state agency that would oversee the state’s efforts on the issue while also determining who is eligible for benefits. SB 1331 would create a new state fund for reparations. The California Legislative Black Caucus released a statement on Saturday afternoon confirming neither bill would move forward before Saturday’s midnight deadline, the end of the state’s legislative session. Both bills were awaiting votes in the state Assembly. Lawmakers within the California Legislative Black Caucus gave conflicting accounts as to why. State Senator Steven Bradford told reporters that Gov. Newsom’s office expressed concerns with SB 1403 and proposed amendments that would have turned the measure into a study. KCRA 3 reviewed the proposed changes in writing that would have provided $6,000,000 to California State University to research and review the recommendations made by the state’s Reparations Task Force. Bradford would not accept the governor’s changes. “We’re at the finish line and I think we as the Black caucus owe it to the descendants of chattel slavery, we owe it to black Californians and Black Americans to move this legislation forward and get it to the governor’s desk,” Bradford told reporters. When asked why he thought the legislation was stalling, Bradford said, “a fear of the veto.”Bradford said both bills, as is, had the votes to clear the Assembly. But Assemblymember Lori Wilson, the chairwoman of the Black caucus, denied that the office had requested the changes and said others had issues with the bill but did not get specific. She said the bills did not have the votes. She declined to do an on-camera interview with KCRA 3 on Saturday. In a written statement, the Black caucus said in part, “The caucus was unable to participate in the legislative process collectively and only recently became aware of the concerns and issues with the bill.”Both bills are in the final stages of the legislative process, having cleared numerous hurdles at the state capitol, including committees that assess a proposal’s cost to taxpayers. As California grapples with a budget deficit, state lawmakers and the governor agreed to earmark $12 million to implement reparations-related legislation this year. | MORE | Gov. Newsom calls special legislative session on gas prices, oil supplyGov. Newsom’s office would not comment on the two bills specifically on Saturday, but said his office had been working with the caucus on the reparations bill package.The development has angered supporters who showed up at the capitol Saturday afternoon the rally for the proposals. “They’re killing the bills because they’re scared of the governor,” said Chris Lodgson, an organizer with the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California. Lodgson blamed the Black caucus for not bringing the bills to the Assembly floor. “We’ve got the money,” Lodgson said, pushing back on claims the state has been strapped for cash and could only provide a limited amount to the cause this year. “Do we have the will? Do we have the courage?”With hours left in the state’s legislative session, the group crowded the rotunda on the second floor outside of the Assembly chamber. As lawmakers made trips to the bathroom or nearby lounge, the group yelled down the hallway, urging them to bring the bills up for a vote.
A group of supporters of reparations for the descendants of enslaved Black Americans spent all afternoon inside the state capitol to protest the California Legislative Black Caucus’ plan to not move forward with two reparations-related proposals.
The two bills are SB 1403 and SB 1331. SB 1403 would establish a Reparations-related state agency that would oversee the state’s efforts on the issue while also determining who is eligible for benefits. SB 1331 would create a new state fund for reparations.
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The California Legislative Black Caucus released a statement on Saturday afternoon confirming neither bill would move forward before Saturday’s midnight deadline, the end of the state’s legislative session. Both bills were awaiting votes in the state Assembly.
Lawmakers within the California Legislative Black Caucus gave conflicting accounts as to why. State Senator Steven Bradford told reporters that Gov. Newsom’s office expressed concerns with SB 1403 and proposed amendments that would have turned the measure into a study. KCRA 3 reviewed the proposed changes in writing that would have provided $6,000,000 to California State University to research and review the recommendations made by the state’s Reparations Task Force. Bradford would not accept the governor’s changes.
“We’re at the finish line and I think we as the Black caucus owe it to the descendants of chattel slavery, we owe it to black Californians and Black Americans to move this legislation forward and get it to the governor’s desk,” Bradford told reporters.
When asked why he thought the legislation was stalling, Bradford said, “a fear of the veto.”
Bradford said both bills, as is, had the votes to clear the Assembly.
But Assemblymember Lori Wilson, the chairwoman of the Black caucus, denied that the office had requested the changes and said others had issues with the bill but did not get specific. She said the bills did not have the votes. She declined to do an on-camera interview with KCRA 3 on Saturday.
In a written statement, the Black caucus said in part, “The caucus was unable to participate in the legislative process collectively and only recently became aware of the concerns and issues with the bill.”
Both bills are in the final stages of the legislative process, having cleared numerous hurdles at the state capitol, including committees that assess a proposal’s cost to taxpayers. As California grapples with a budget deficit, state lawmakers and the governor agreed to earmark $12 million to implement reparations-related legislation this year.
| MORE | Gov. Newsom calls special legislative session on gas prices, oil supply
Gov. Newsom’s office would not comment on the two bills specifically on Saturday, but said his office had been working with the caucus on the reparations bill package.
The development has angered supporters who showed up at the capitol Saturday afternoon the rally for the proposals.
“They’re killing the bills because they’re scared of the governor,” said Chris Lodgson, an organizer with the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California. Lodgson blamed the Black caucus for not bringing the bills to the Assembly floor.
“We’ve got the money,” Lodgson said, pushing back on claims the state has been strapped for cash and could only provide a limited amount to the cause this year. “Do we have the will? Do we have the courage?”
With hours left in the state’s legislative session, the group crowded the rotunda on the second floor outside of the Assembly chamber. As lawmakers made trips to the bathroom or nearby lounge, the group yelled down the hallway, urging them to bring the bills up for a vote.