CaliforniaDescendants of enslaved persons: reparations.
What it does
Former law, Chapter 319 of the Statutes of 2020, until July 1, 2023, established a task force to, among other things, identify, compile, and synthesize the relevant corpus of evidentiary documentation of the institution of slavery that existed within the United States and the colonies, as specified, and to recommend the form of compensation that should be awarded, the instrumentalities through which it should be awarded, and who should be eligible for this compensation.
More detail
Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes the Civil Rights Department and sets forth its powers and duties, including, among others, receiving, investigating, and prosecuting complaints alleging violations of civil rights, as specified.
This bill would establish the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within the department, under the control of the deputy director, who would be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The bill would require the bureau to create a Genealogy Division, as specified, and to verify an individual's status as a descendant and would require proof of an individual's descendant status to be a qualifying criterion for benefits authorized by the state for descendants. The bill would also require the bureau to create an Education and Outreach Division and a Legal Affairs Division. The bill would impose various requirements on the bureau relating to the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal and genetic information, as specified. The bill would authorize the bureau to receive moneys from any federal, state, or local grant and from any nongovernmental entity, as specified.
This bill would make implementation of its provisions contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature, as specified.
This bill would include findings and declarations relating to a gift of public funds.
Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.
This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Where do you stand?
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Oct 10Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 586, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 10Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 22Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.To Governor
- Sep 10Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2837.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB518 Weber Pierson et al. Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 9In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 518 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Jackson. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 9Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 60. Noes 17. Page 3064.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Sep 5Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 5Read third time and amended.Major
- Sep 5Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended.
- Sep 3Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 2Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 29From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 29).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Jul 16July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Jul 3Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 2From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (July 1).Major
- Jul 1
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 19June 24 hearing postponed by committee.
- Jun 16From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Major
- Jun 9Referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Jun 3In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 1402.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading SB518 Weber Pierson et al. Result: pass.Upper
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- May 23From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 1203.) (May 23).Major
- May 16Set for hearing May 23.
- May 5May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 29Set for hearing May 5.
- Apr 24Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Apr 23From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2. Page 835.) (April 22).Major
- Apr 22
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 10From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Major
- Apr 9Set for hearing April 22.
- Apr 7Re-referred to Com. on JUD.Minor
- Apr 7Withdrawn from committee.Major
- Apr 7From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on G.O.Major
- Mar 20March 25 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
- Mar 17Set for hearing March 25.
- Feb 26Referred to Coms. on G.O. and JUD.Minor
- Feb 20From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
- Feb 19Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced