Lawmakers in California introduced several measures to serve as a form of reparation for the state’s black community Wednesday but left out one of the most hotly debated proposals.
Several bills were introduced by California’s Legislative Black Caucus addressing areas such as education, criminal justice reform, and civil rights.
The 14 measures did not include a monetary reparation proposal for black Americans descended from slaves or affected by government discrimination.
“While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations, the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more,” LBC Chairwoman and Assemblywoman Lori Wilson said in a statement. “We need a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism.”
Though monetary reparations weren’t included, one particular measure would bring some financial restitution to qualifying individuals. Democratic state Sen. Steven Bradford’s bill would “Restore property taken during raced-based uses of eminent domain to its original owners or provide another effective remedy where appropriate, such as restitution or compensation.”
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Despite leaving controversial reparation payments out of this package, the lawmakers still face difficulty passing the bills through the legislature. The group reportedly plans on spending time making the case for their legislation to their fellow lawmakers.
But the bills could also face constitutional hurdles, as at least one of the measures proposes requesting a change to the state’s Constitution. Democratic Assemblyman Corey Jackson wants to revise the document in order to get state funding for initiatives that serve to improve economic conditions, educational outcomes, and life expectancy of specific racial or ethnic groups.