(KCRA) 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 Sen. Steven Bradford told reporters that Gov. Gavin 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 million 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.
