Following the fall out over two reparations proposals, State Senator Steven Bradford said this week the governor should consider calling a special legislative session on reparations. “I would like to have reparations added to the special session,” Bradford told KCRA 3 in an interview. He noted lawmakers are already heading back to the state capitol for the governor’s special session on gas prices and oil supply. “Why not have a special session on reparations? I think that’s worthy of discussion,” Bradford said. The suggestion comes almost two weeks after California’s Legislative Black Caucus blocked two of Bradford’s bills from a final vote on the Assembly floor on the final night of the legislative session. One of the bills would have created a new state agency to oversee the state’s reparations-related efforts and the other would have set up a state fund for reparations. “Our ancestors have to be greatly disappointed in the fact that we’ve been waiting 160 years plus years for reparations, and it was right here in our hands, and we dropped the ball,” Bradford said. Leader of the caucus, Assemblymember Lori Wilson, claimed the bills did not have enough votes to pass the Assembly. But Bradford said the caucus’ decision was based on a fear that Gov. Gavin Newsom would veto the legislation. Days ahead of their lawmaking deadline, Newsom’s office proposed changes to Bradford’s state agency proposal to instead turn it into a $6 million study on reparations by the University of California. Bradford did not accept the changes, and other caucus members signaled they were upset that Bradford acted alone. “I did not talk to anyone about those two bills,” Newsom told reporters last week at a news conference. The governor said his office spent all year working closely with the Black Caucus on reparations proposals. “The vast majority of those that we agreed to and worked collaboratively together with the Black Caucus have ended up on my desk,” Newsom said. As of Wednesday afternoon, KCRA 3 was still waiting for a comment from Newsom’s office on Bradford’s suggestion for a special session. Some reparations advocates have noted the bills on the governor’s desk do not help provide the systems needed to begin the process of providing restitution to those who are eligible. One of the bills establishes a process to compensate those who had their land unfairly taken through eminent domain. But Bradford and other reparations advocates have noted that proposal cannot move forward without the state agency. Assemblymember Wilson was unavailable for an interview with KCRA 3 on Wednesday. The caucus would not directly comment on Bradford’s call for a special session on the issue. “The California Legislative Black Caucus remains fully committed to introducing reparations bills next year and in the years to come. We will meet in the fall to finalize our strategy for the upcoming legislative session, which is now just three months away,” the caucus said in a statement. “We remain dedicated to working alongside legislative partners, advocates, and the broader community toward our shared goal. As we have always emphasized, this is a multi-year effort, and we are excited to continue this important work under the incoming leadership of the CLBC,” the group said.
Following the fall out over two reparations proposals, State Senator Steven Bradford said this week the governor should consider calling a special legislative session on reparations.
“I would like to have reparations added to the special session,” Bradford told KCRA 3 in an interview. He noted lawmakers are already heading back to the state capitol for the governor’s special session on gas prices and oil supply.
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“Why not have a special session on reparations? I think that’s worthy of discussion,” Bradford said.
The suggestion comes almost two weeks after California’s Legislative Black Caucus blocked two of Bradford’s bills from a final vote on the Assembly floor on the final night of the legislative session. One of the bills would have created a new state agency to oversee the state’s reparations-related efforts and the other would have set up a state fund for reparations.
“Our ancestors have to be greatly disappointed in the fact that we’ve been waiting 160 years plus years for reparations, and it was right here in our hands, and we dropped the ball,” Bradford said.
Leader of the caucus, Assemblymember Lori Wilson, claimed the bills did not have enough votes to pass the Assembly. But Bradford said the caucus’ decision was based on a fear that Gov. Gavin Newsom would veto the legislation.
Days ahead of their lawmaking deadline, Newsom’s office proposed changes to Bradford’s state agency proposal to instead turn it into a $6 million study on reparations by the University of California. Bradford did not accept the changes, and other caucus members signaled they were upset that Bradford acted alone.
“I did not talk to anyone about those two bills,” Newsom told reporters last week at a news conference. The governor said his office spent all year working closely with the Black Caucus on reparations proposals.
“The vast majority of those that we agreed to and worked collaboratively together with the Black Caucus have ended up on my desk,” Newsom said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, KCRA 3 was still waiting for a comment from Newsom’s office on Bradford’s suggestion for a special session.
Some reparations advocates have noted the bills on the governor’s desk do not help provide the systems needed to begin the process of providing restitution to those who are eligible. One of the bills establishes a process to compensate those who had their land unfairly taken through eminent domain. But Bradford and other reparations advocates have noted that proposal cannot move forward without the state agency.
Assemblymember Wilson was unavailable for an interview with KCRA 3 on Wednesday. The caucus would not directly comment on Bradford’s call for a special session on the issue.
“The California Legislative Black Caucus remains fully committed to introducing reparations bills next year and in the years to come. We will meet in the fall to finalize our strategy for the upcoming legislative session, which is now just three months away,” the caucus said in a statement.
“We remain dedicated to working alongside legislative partners, advocates, and the broader community toward our shared goal. As we have always emphasized, this is a multi-year effort, and we are excited to continue this important work under the incoming leadership of the CLBC,” the group said.