Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom formal apology He criticized California's role in the legacy of slavery and racism against Black people as part of a series of reparations bills he approved Thursday.
“California accepts responsibility for our role in facilitating, promoting, and permitting slavery and our enduring legacy of deep racial disparities,” Newsom said in a statement. “Building on decades of work, California is now taking an important step in recognizing the grave injustices of its past and making amends for the harm caused.”
California's 1849 constitution prohibited slavery, but the state has no law that criminalizes enslavement or requires emancipation, and slavery is allowed to continue. I did. Congress, the state court system, and the Congressional delegation were disproportionately represented in office by southern whites with pro-slavery views.
Assembly Bill 3089The bill requires the state to issue a formal apology and also requires California to erect a plaque at the state capitol commemorating the apology. Rep. Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), who introduced the bill, called it a “monumental accomplishment.”
“Healing can only begin with an apology,” Jones-Sawyer said in a statement. “California is taking bold steps to acknowledge and correct its past actions and the role racially motivated punitive laws play in hindering Black people's life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.”
Despite the bill signing, reparations advocates say the governor and Democratic lawmakers have made little progress on a “first-in-the-nation” effort launched in 2020 to consider, propose and adopt a remedy to atone for slavery. Criticized for not having.
After a state task force spent two years crafting recommendations to the Legislature, the California Legislative Black Caucus announced in January its priorities focused primarily on enacting policy changes in education, health care, and criminal justice. He announced a package of bills, but cash payments were omitted due to state finances. economic problems.
Reparations advocates have criticized Newsom and Democratic lawmakers for failing to make even modest progress on the issue.
(Laurel Rosenhall/Los Angeles Times)
Newsom also signed legislation that provides new oversight. Books banned in California prisonsat grocery stores and pharmacies. Provide written notice at least 45 days prior to closingexpands state law. Prohibition of discrimination based on hairstyle The bill would include youth sports and seek to increase and track Black and low-income students' participation in career training education.
But the governor refused to vote on other bills that would create the California Office of Freedmen's Affairs and establish a reparations and restorative justice fund to pay for and implement reparations policies approved by lawmakers. I was furious.
The day before he signed the bill requiring a formal apology, Newsom vetoed two other reparations bills. The person tried to start the next process Reversing racially motivated land and property seizures Under the Friedman Affairs Bureau, lawmakers refused to approve it. The other is It would have expanded Medi-Cal coverage.which is pending federal approval, includes benefits for medically supported food and nutrition.
“This bill would result in significant ongoing General Fund costs for the Medi-Cal program that are not included in the budget,” Newsom said in a statement announcing his veto.
