SACRAMENTO, Calif. (TND) — Certain Californians may soon be compensated by the state as an apology for impacts of racism.
Golden State lawmakers released a slew of reparations bills Wednesday, Politico reported. The package, which is the first of its kind, reportedly contains 14 measures and is complete with 111 pages of recommendations from a task force.
Missing from the package, however, is widespread monetary compensation for slave descendants, according to Politico. The only mention of similar action is reportedly in restorations of property taken through eminent domain, a constitutional provision that allows the government to compensate individuals when repurposing their property for public use.
“While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations, the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more,” Democratic Assemblymember Lori Wilson, the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, told Politico. “We need a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism.”
The package reportedly may even rewrite the state’s constitution as Democratic Assemblymember Corey Jackson looks to include state funding for programs intended for “increasing the life expectancy of, improving educational outcomes for, or lifting out of poverty specific groups based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, or marginalized genders, sexes, or sexual orientations.”
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Also under consideration are protections for “natural and protective” hairstyles in sports and a formal apology by Gov. Gavin Newsom for the state’s role in violating the human rights of African slaves and their descendants, according to Politico.
The Legislative Black Caucus will reportedly continue to fine tune the package in the coming weeks.
Californians aren’t alone in pushing for reparations. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., last year introduced a measure seeking to recognize the “moral and legal obligation” to “provide reparations for the enslavement of Africans and its lasting harm on the lives of millions of Black people in the United States.” The proposed measure could give each Black American $333K.
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Colorado, New York and Massachusetts have each reportedly weighed the creation of reparations bills in the past.
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