A pair of reparations-related bills for the descendants of enslaved Black Americans failed to pass in the California legislature last week, but supporters say they’re not going down without a fight.
The two bills led by Democrats that would have greenlit reparations were considered key components of some lawmakers’ ambitious efforts to pass legislation aimed at atoning for what they said was a legacy of racist policies that drove disparities for Black people, from housing to education to health. Authored by Democratic state Sen. Steven Bradford of Inglewood, Senate Bill 1331 would have created a new state fund for reparations, while Senate Bill 1403 would have established a state agency to oversee these efforts and determine who would be eligible.Â
After hours of heated debate and protests last week, Democratic state lawmakers and the California Legislative Black Caucus chose to proceed without the bills. While the Democratic-led California legislature did pass a spate of other bills aimed at remedying past racial injustices, none of these would provide direct payments to African-Americans.Â
Reparations supporters, however, are vowing revenge, CalMatters reported. Some are reportedly weighing the idea of recalling Black caucus members and other state Democrats who blocked the bills from going through.
“They plan on showing up at town hall meetings in some of the legislators’ districts, and at least one group has filed an ethics complaint with the special committee on legislative ethics against the caucus. The complaint alleges corruption and improper influence played a role in the bills’ fates,” according to CalMatters.
“There has to be a political price to pay,” Chris Lodgson, who has been working with state lawmakers on reparations since 2019, told the nonprofit news organization.
“This hurts in a different way because what we saw was our own people stop our own people. That hits different,” he said.
Black activists at the California assembly also threatened a “direct impact” on Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign after state Democratic lawmakers held off on the bills.
California Legislative Black Caucus Chair Assemblymember Lori Wilson said Saturday that the Black Caucus pulled the bills, adding the proposals need more work.
“We knew from the very beginning that it was an uphill battle … And we also knew from the very beginning that it would be a multiyear effort,” Wilson told reporters.
PROTESTS ERUPT AT CALIFORNIA STATE CAPITOL AFTER PAIR OF REPARATIONS BILLS SHELVED
Protests erupted outside the Capitol Saturday as reparation advocates demanded the lawmakers who held up the bills be held accountable.
“This type of betrayal cannot go unanswered,” the Coalition for a Just & Equitable California wrote on X. “There must be a political price to pay. Gone are the days when politicians of any race or party can disrespect Black Americans and expect no political consequences. We are not captured. We do not belong to any party or special interest. We are the living embodiment of our Ancestors who built this state and this country over 400 years and who are owed Reparations. We’re coming…No…We’re HERE, to get our checks and more.”
The California Legislative Black Caucus did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News’ Bradford Bentz contributed to this report.
