NAACP Urges Legislature to Pass Stalling Reparations Bills
/The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, California-Hawaii State Conference (CA/HI NAACP), is urging the Legislature to pass two reparations bills authored by state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC).
The bills — Senate Bill (SB) 518 and SB) 437 – were assigned to the “Suspense File” after review in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
In the California Legislature, any bill that would potentially cost the state more than $50,000 from the General Fund or $150,000 from special funds is automatically sent to the Suspense File for further consideration at a special hearing.
Rick L. Callender, President of the NAACP Cal-Hi State Conference, said the bills are critical for advancing racial and social justice in California and are a “moral and constitutional imperative.”
“For generations, Black Californians have carried the weight of systemic harm with no redress. These bills offer the state a chance to begin making that right,” Callender said.
“The NAACP has long demanded reparations for the descendants of slavery,” Callender continued. “California must lead with courage, not caution, and move these bills forward without another delay.”
SB 518 proposes the establishment of an agency to implement state-level reparations for eligible descendants of enslaved individuals. SB 437 authorizes California State University (CSU) to use genealogical records to determine eligibility for initiatives benefiting descendants of enslaved persons. [MORE]
