The Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation, and Truth (ARRT) commends Gov. Gavin Newsom on signing into law SB 437 (Weber-Pierson), requiring the California State University to explore options to determine how to confirm an individual’s status as a descendant, and SB 518 (Weber‑Pierson), creating the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery, housed within the Civil Rights Department.
In addition to requiring the California State University to explore options to determine how to confirm an individual’s status as a descendant, SB 437 would also require the California State University to establish a process for conducting or verifying genealogical research to confirm eligibility for reparative claims before the start of the 2029-2030 academic year, and to start this research before the start of the 2026-2027 academic year. The determinations made by the CSU will operationalize lineage verification processes—not just repeating past studies, but building systems to scale and institutionalize them.
SB 518 establishes the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within the Civil Rights Department and requires the bureau, as part of its duties, 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. The bill is directly in line with the final recommendations put forth by the California Reparations Task Force, which called for measures that provide practical and meaningful steps to repair the damage caused by centuries of discrimination and systemic injustice. The new law tasks the bureau with verifying lineage eligibility, creating a Genealogy Division, an Education and Outreach Division, and a Legal Affairs Division, with the flexibility to expand the agency’s scope as needed.
SB 437 and SB 518 are two of the reparations bills passed by the legislature, led by the California Legislative Black Caucus, with special appreciation to caucus chair Senator Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson for her disciplined leadership. Through outreach by ARRT, more than 8,500 letters were sent and hand-delivered to Governor Newsom in support of the reparations bills.
Gov. Newsom vetoed AB 57 (McKinnor), which would have allocated a portion of funds in the Home Purchase Assistance Program for descendants of formerly enslaved people, and AB 62 (McKinnor), which would have required the Civil Rights Department to review, investigate, and make certain determinations regarding applications from persons who claim they are the dispossessed owner of property taken as a result of racially motivated eminent domain.
While ARRT is disappointed in Gov. Newsom’s vetoes of AB 57 and AB 62, the bills he did sign represent yet another critical step in a historic journey that started with Gov. Newsom’s signing AB 3121 into law on Sept. 30, 2020, to create the first-in-the-nation California Reparations Task Force.
After two years of research and 30 public hearings, the task force in 2023 delivered a 1,100-page book of truth that documents past and continuing harm of anti-Black discrimination in every facet of American life and across every sector of California civil society.
In 2024, Gov. Newsom signed several reparations bills, including AB 3089, a formal apology by the State of California for its role in perpetuating slavery and its ongoing legacy of systemic racism.
“Reparations are not just about addressing historical slavery; they also focus on the ongoing harms and unfair practices that Black people continue to experience today in education, healthcare, housing, and employment,” said Dr. Cheryl Grills, ARRT leader and former reparations task force member. “Governor Newsom is helping California right its wrongs and continue laying the groundwork for a fair and equitable future and healing for everyone.”
“The Governor’s vetoes of AB 57 and AB 62 are sobering and disappointing, especially given how critical these bills were to advancing real repair,” said Kevin Cosney, Co-Director of the California Black Power Network and ARRT leader. “Still, we know this work is generational. With SB 518 and SB 437 signed, we’ve made undeniable progress, and the door remains open to bring the remaining bills back stronger next session. This moment only deepens our resolve, and we will continue to push the governor to advance these priorities to fulfill the vision of the Task Force.”
“We’re proud to have played a critical role in the passage of this bill. Amid deep divisions, our coalition is advancing a cross-racial alliance that places reparations at the heart of a shared vision for a resilient, multicultural democracy,” said Lisa Holder, ARRT leader, former member of the reparations task force, and President of the Equal Justice Society. “Truth-telling and collective healing are essential steps toward reconciliation. We cannot move forward as one human family until we confront the harm, acknowledge the debt, and take tangible action to repair what has been done to those who have long been silenced, sidelined, and denied justice.”
“The passage of this bill marks another historic step in California acknowledging the enduring harm inflicted on Black Americans through state-sanctioned policies,” said Donald K. Tamaki, ARRT leader and former member of the reparations task force. “This movement is not just about restitution; it’s about truth, reconciliation, and building a future rooted in equity. I’m proud to see California advancing from recommendations to real-world impact.”
“Repairing the harm of slavery has been a multigenerational struggle. Today, California stands on the right side of history in beginning to address the vestiges of slavery and harm to Black communities,” said Rev. Michael McBride, Executive Director of LIVE FREE USA & CA. “We salute this very necessary step and offer our deep gratitude and thanks to our community, organizers, partner organizations, faith leaders and policymakers who have labored for years to secure reparative relief for enslaved and oppressed people of African descent. We press forward toward additional policy wins for full realization of the Taskforce recommendations.”
It’s alarming to see news coverage focused almost exclusively on the vetoed bills, while overlooking the critical fact that the two reparations bills signed into law are among the most historic and pivotal pieces of infrastructure for harm repair in our state. These laws carve a clear path for more targeted reparations legislation in the next cycle and signal a promising future for justice and accountability. For those engaged in the 200-year struggle for harm repair – initiated by our formerly enslaved ancestors – recognize that this small step for California is, in truth, a giant leap for America.
ARRT will continue its efforts to educate the public, ensuring communities are fully informed and empowered. With 115 recommendations from the California Reparations Task Force, this marks only the beginning of a long-term commitment to justice. ARRT will collaborate with pragmatic elected officials to advance meaningful repair and policy implementation that reflects the will and wisdom of impacted communities.
About The Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation and Truth
ARRT, the Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation, and Truth (https://alliancefor.org), is a multi-racial, multi-sector alliance advancing reparations in California. ARRT is led by the California Black Power Network, Catalyst California, Equal Justice Society, Live Free USA, Live Free California, Black Equity Collective, and former members of the California Reparations Task Force, Dr. Cheryl Grills, Lisa Holder, Dr. Jovan Scott Lewis, and Donald Tamaki, together with several other organizations on the alliance’s steering committee and advisory council.