AB 3089 now goes to the state senate
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California is moving closer to formally apologizing for slavery. The state assembly just approved a bill to apologize to Black Californians for the state's role in instituting slave laws and discriminatory practices since its founding.
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Los Angeles Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer authored the bill, called AB 3089.
He's calling the vote historic.
The measure now goes to the state senate.
The California Legislative Black Caucus introduced more than a dozen proposals in February, after a first-in-the nation reparations task force sent a report recommending how the state should apologize and offer redress to Black Californians.
Three additional bills that were a part of the reparations package put forth by the California Legislative Black Caucus were voted out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. SB 1050 which deals with restitution for racially-motivated landtaking, SB 1403 which would create the Freedman Affairs Agency to oversee reparations, and SB 1331 which would create a funding source for reparations gained support. The bills will be up for a vote on the California Senate floor next week.
SB 1007 which would have provided homeownership assistance and SB 1013 which would have created avenues for property tax relief for descendants slavery were voted down in committee.
VIDEO: What reparations could look like for Black Californians as task force prepares for final vote