California Governor Gavin Newsom Signs Law to Study Enslavement, Vetoes Bills for Descendants

Strategic Insights -

California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered a mixed verdict for proponents of bills aimed at addressing the state's legacy of racist and discriminatory policies against Black Americans. He signed a law authorizing $6 million for California State University to study how to confirm an individual's status as a descendant of an enslaved person. However, he vetoed other bills championed by the California Legislative Black Caucus as tools to atone for the state's history. Newsom's vetoes have sparked disappointment and criticism from lawmakers and advocates who argue that the bills were necessary to fight decades of discrimination in housing, education, and other areas.

Key Takeaways:

  • Newsom signed a law authorizing $6 million for a California State University study on confirming an individual's status as a descendant of an enslaved person.
  • He vetoed three bills championed by the California Legislative Black Caucus: one allowing public and private colleges to give admissions preference to descendants of enslaved people, another requiring the state to investigate claims of unjustly taken property, and a third setting aside 10% of the money from a loan program for first-time homebuyers for descendants of enslaved people.
  • Newsom cited that colleges already have authority to make admissions decisions and that the university admissions preference bill was unnecessary.
  • The governor signed a law last week creating a Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery to verify Black Californians' family lineage and determine their eligibility for possible reparations programs.
  • Advocates argue that the signed law will delay true reparations and urge lawmakers to introduce proposals for direct compensation to descendants of enslaved people.
  • The California Legislative Black Caucus introduced a slate of bills over the past two years inspired by a 2023 state task force report recommending how California should offer redress for descendants of Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century.
  • Separate bills proposed in the 2024 legislative session similarly sought to address some of the systemic issues faced by Black Californians, such as education and the criminal justice system.
  • None of the proposals on Newsom's desk would have directly paid descendants of enslaved people.

Statistics:

  • $6 million: The amount allocated for the California State University study on confirming an individual's status as a descendant of an enslaved person.
  • 1850: The year California entered the union as a free state, but sanctioned slavery and approved policies and practices that thwarted Black people from owning homes and starting businesses.
  • 2023: The year a state task force released a report recommending how California should offer redress for descendants of Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century.

Sources:

  • "California Governor Newsom Signs Law to Study Enslavement, Vetoes Bills for Descendants" by Sophie Austin, The Associated Press, (no date mentioned)
  • "California Task Force on African American Affairs Releases Report on Reparations" by The Associated Press, (no date mentioned)
  • "Reparations Advocates Call for Direct Compensation to Descendants of Enslaved People" by The Associated Press, (no date mentioned)