CA Lawmakers Look At Giving Reparations Bills Another Shot In 2025 Following Failure In 2024

Reparations advocates are looking at 2025 to be the year that key reparations bills are passed, with some to pave the way for larger monetary reparations in the future.

Following the George Floyd incident and a renewed call for reparations in California in 2020, the state took action. Over the next three years the state formed the Reparations Task Force and had a long, controversial road to a final report. This included a December 2022 report that found that an estimated $569 billion was needed to be provided by the state for reparations to be implemented, leading to disbelief and the threat of lawsuits if the number holds. Public and political opposition quickly grew, especially after the $569 billion jumped to a $800 billion compensation plan, approved by the Task Force in May 2023. Task Force members actually blasted media for focusing on the $800 million price tag, and said “STOP focusing on the monetary part of the plan.” Another figure of $1.2 million given to each black resident was similarly scrutinized. It was so much that Governor Newsom said that he would not support cash payments, both due to the large cost and the massive $22.5 billion budget deficit that the state was facing.

Following their final list of recommendations released in June 2023, lawmakers began creating laws around them. In 2024, fourteen of the recommendations were considered, but by the end of the session in September, only a few had been passed. All the little-to-no cost measures with no real legal or political challenges made it, like AB 3089, in which the state issues an apology over slavery and puts a plaque in the Capitol to commemorate it.

However, other bills had no chance, with some not even making it to the summer. This included two bills authored by now former Senator Stephen Bradford that were held back in the Senate in May due to their costly nature. One, SB 1013, would have given major financial property tax assistance solely for black descendants of slaves. The other, SB 1007, would have given housing grants for the same group in formerly redlined areas. Other bills limped along into the slog of August where more were sorted out. High cost bills still bit the dust.

Most critically was Sen. Bradford’s Senate Bill 1403, which would have created the California American Freedman Affairs Agency to assist Californians with reparations program, and, Senate Bill 1331, which would have created the reparations fund. Both were cast off to the inactive file following Governor Gavin Newsom saying that he wouldn’t sign them. Newsom also vetoed another critical bill, SB 1050, that would have given black families a way to either get land back or compensation for land wrongfully taken because of racially motivated means. Reparations were also completely voted down by voters on the ballot, with Proposition 6, which would have halted involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime, being soundly defeated.

Despite a fail-filled 2024, reparations advocates are trying now to push 2025 as the year where those things are finally passed. Many are worried that Trump could put an end to any kind of reparations. As 68% of all Americans oppose reparations, a federal halt could end the push for reparations in California. Hence, the hurry to set up as much as possible.

Reparations bills in 2025

Part one is the introduction of new bills in 2025 based off the task force recommendation list. Some of these have already been introduced, including a bill that would give admission priority to the descendants of slaves at the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU). But part II is most crucial – passing the currently inactive SB 1403 and SB 1331, as they would open the door for funded reparations. And advocates have been pressing lawmakers for months to bring them back during the January session.

“That is one of the primary demands or commands from the community and reparations leaders is for a legislator, it doesn’t even have to be a black legislator, but a legislator to reintroduce those two bills that failed,” said California Reparations Task Force Chair Kamilah Moore this month. “I think the reason for Newsom not signing them was probably political, like, he didn’t think that these reparations would get so serious so fast. And then this particular election year when Kamala was running for president, and you can’t look too progressive in this political environment we’re in.

“I feel like the caucus and even Newsom were supportive of these bills, and there’s evidence of that. The Black Caucus wrote that letter in June wanting to give $6 million to their friends, the Black freedom Fund, which is problematic. But the letter also said they wanted to give $6 million to the reparations agency, but then at the last minute, in August, they decided to kill the Reparations Agency Fund bill.”

Now former Senator Bradford added, “We’re at the finish line, and we as the Black Caucus owe it to the descendants of chattel slavery, to Black Californians and Black Americans to move this legislation forward.”

However, reparations advocates will likely not get the banner year they want. Even without an official stoppage by the Trump administration, reparations now face even more hurdles than last year. While Democrats still have huge majorities in the Assembly and Senate, those numbers shrank following the 2024 elections, with GOP candidates taking back multiple seats for the first time in decades. This means increased resistance. Much more worrisome is Newsom. As he is concerned over multiple factors now in his decisions, including what they look like in a 2028 presidential run, Newsom has been a lot more veto-happy. And with the state budget deficit still in the tens of billions, he doesn’t want to bring about any new spending – including costly reparations.

“Newsom is definitely the big barrier here,” said Katherine Douglas, a Washington-based analyst who focuses on state reparation efforts, to the Globe on Monday. “Those reparations people are doing everything they can, but Newsom is still concerned about cost and still concerned about the extreme unpopularity of reparations nationwide. He supports them now, he will have an extremely hard time in the Democratic primaries. He knows this.

“So this coming year will probably be a bit of a repeat. Some of the bills that won’t cost taxpayers anything will likely pass, but as for everything else? Do not count on it. Even if the bills are brought back from the inactive file next month. And don’t count on you being able to vote on these issues yourself, as there is no way reparations advocates will be willing to risk a public vote on them.”