African American Reparation Bill Passes California Assembly
Cuneyt Dil, KCRA, June 11, 2020
A proposal to establish a task force to study and prepare recommendations for how to give reparations to African Americans passed the California Assembly on Thursday.
The bill advanced with a 56-5 vote as protests nationwide over police brutality re-energized the movement for racial justice and activists pressed for sweeping reforms. It is a top priority for California’s Legislative Black Caucus.
If the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, eight people with backgrounds in racial justice reforms would lead a study into who would be eligible for compensation due to slavery and how it should be awarded.
{snip}
The panel would start meeting no later than June 2021.
The panel’s top matter will be how it lays out the case for justifying reparations, 155 years after slavery was abolished, said Lisa Holder, an attorney who teaches about civil rights at UCLA School of Law.
{snip}
Another priority of California’s Legislative Black Caucus passed Wednesday when the Assembly approved a proposal to repeal California’s affirmative action ban. Voters will decide on the measure in November if the Senate approves the bill by June 25.
