The Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition’s faith-rooted mission is to advocate for policy changes that would reduce or eliminate sources of poverty in California. Racial injustice is one of those sources, so we have been particularly supportive of and attentive to the work of the Reparations Task Force. This article is the fifth in a series about the Reparations Task Force and the 2024 Reparations Legislative Package.
In response to the June 2023 Final Report issued by the California Reparations Task Force, the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) introduced its 2024 Reparations Legislative Package. The package, a first step in a multi-year effort, consisted of 14 measures designed to address the ongoing harms of slavery and systemic racism detailed in the Task Force report.
While the Task Force report provided comprehensive recommendations spanning a formal apology, economic calculations, and extensive policy proposals, the 2024 CLBC package focused on a narrower set of priorities for immediate legislative action.
The Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition tracks legislation, provides recommendations on some, and generally tries to keep the public informed and engaged with measures that deserve support.
Connection Between the CLBC Package and the Task Force Report
The CLBC and the Task Force acknowledged that reparations encompass more than direct cash payments. The Task Force emphasized that a holistic approach to reparations necessitates addressing the multifaceted legacy of slavery and discrimination across various sectors. This perspective aligns with the CLBC’s decision to introduce a diverse package of bills targeting issues ranging from education and criminal justice reform to property rights and food justice.
The CLBC emphasized the significance of acknowledging the historical context of California’s laws and their deliberate harm toward Black residents. This emphasis resonates with the Task Force’s extensive documentation of California’s role in perpetuating discriminatory laws and policies, underscoring the state’s responsibility to redress and ensure non-repetition. Both entities recognize the profound and enduring effects of these historical injustices on generations of Black Californians.
The CLBC package addresses the Task Force’s recommendation for a formal apology from the state through ACR 135 and AB 3089. These measures aim to formally acknowledge and accept responsibility for the historical harms inflicted upon African Americans in California. The CLBC’s inclusion of these bills reflects a shared understanding with the Task Force regarding the importance of truth-telling and reconciliation as integral components of the reparations process.
The CLBC’s focus on education, as evident in AB 1929 and AB 3131, aligns with the Task Force’s recommendation to establish and fund educational programs that accurately portray the history of slavery and its enduring legacy. While the Task Force proposed a broader educational framework, the CLBC’s initial measures represent concrete steps toward fulfilling this objective by expanding Black students’ access to career technical education.
Complete List of Items in the CLBC’s 2024 Reparations Legislative Package
The package includes the following 14 measures.
Education:
- AB 1929 (McKinnor): Expand access to career technical education by creating a competitive grant program to increase enrollment of descendants in STEM-related CTE programs at high school and college levels.
- AB 3131 (McCarty): Career Education Financial Aid for redlined communities. (Not Introduced)
Civil Rights:
- ACA 7 (Jackson): Amends the California Constitution to allow the State to fund programs to increase life expectancy, improve educational outcomes, or lift specific groups out of poverty.
- ACR 135 (Weber): Formally recognizes and accepts responsibility for all harms and atrocities committed by state representatives who promoted, facilitated, enforced, and permitted chattel slavery.
- AB 1815 (Weber): Prohibits discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles in all competitive sports by extending the CROWN Act to include them explicitly.
- SB 1050 (Bradford): California American Freedmen Affairs Agency: racially motivated eminent domain. Property takings: Restore property taken during race-based uses of eminent domain to its original owners or provide another adequate remedy, such as restitution or compensation.
- AB 3089 (Jones-Sawyer): Issues a formal apology for human rights violations and crimes against humanity on enslaved Africans and their descendants.
Health:
- AB 1975 (Bonta): Make medically supportive food and nutrition interventions a permanent part of Medi-Cal benefits when deemed medically necessary by healthcare providers.
- SB 1089 (Smallwood-Cuevas): This bill addresses food injustice by requiring advance notification to community stakeholders prior to the closure of a grocery store in underserved or at-risk communities.
Business:
- AB 2862 (Gipson): Eliminate barriers to licensure for people with criminal records. This bill expands AB 2138 to prioritize African American applicants seeking occupational licenses, especially descendants.
Criminal Justice:
- AB 2203 (Bryan): Eliminates using the criminal legal system as financial punishment by eliminating all fines and fees associated with conviction in the California Penal Code that create a debt to the state.
- AB 2593 (Kamlager-Dove): Modifies the definition of “undue hardship” under Penal Code section 1203.4, which governs the dismissal of old convictions, to include consideration of whether an individual’s conviction record created significant barriers to employment, housing, education, public benefits, or occupational licensing.
- AB 2628 (Gipson): Requires the Department of Justice to create and maintain a publicly accessible database of all law enforcement agencies’ policies on using force, de-escalation, arrest, consent before searches, reporting requirements, and interactions with youth.
Other:
- AB 2757 (Cunningham): Creates the California Hollywood Commission on Black Equity and Inclusion within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to study and provide recommendations regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry.
It is important to remember that while the 2024 CLBC package represents a crucial step towards addressing the harms outlined in the Task Force report, the caucus emphasized that it is just a beginning. The Task Force stressed the need for continuous vigilance, learning, and adaptation in the pursuit of reparations. The multi-year approach adopted by the CLBC suggests a commitment to this ongoing process.
Read the articles below or the Racial Justice Task Force page for further information.
