The New York legislature is recommending the state establish a reparations committee to address the negative effects of slavery on black residents, sending the bill to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) for approval.
The bill passed both the state Assembly and Senate on Thursday. If signed, New York will follow in California‘s footsteps after the Golden State created a similar reparations task force in 2020.
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“We want to make sure we are looking at slavery and its legacies,” state Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages said prior to the floor debate, according to the Associated Press. “This is about beginning the process of healing our communities. There still is generational trauma that people are experiencing. This is just one step forward.”
The recommendation to create the task force is not as developed as California’s. The New York commission would first examine the extent to which state and federal governments supported slavery as an institution, as well as economic, educational, and political disparities among black residents in the Empire State.
The bill would allow the Assembly speaker, Hochul, and the Senate legislative leader to appoint three members each to the commission. All positions are currently held by Democrats.
New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie called the legislation “historic.” Heastie is the first black person to hold the speakership.
However, Republicans who oppose the bill say the state is dredging up its past rather than looking to the future.
“I’m concerned we’re opening a door that was closed in New York State almost 200 years ago,” Republican state Assemblyman Andy Goodell said during floor debates.
Goodell voted against the bill but said he supports existing and future equal opportunity efforts “rather than focus[ing] on reparations.”
Another difference between California’s and New York’s reparations initiatives is that the former set a hefty price tag, while the latter is merely beginning the process to see whether a panel would present recommendations, and a budget would be set later down the road.
Any recommendations a future commission makes to the legislature will be nonbinding, according to the bill.
In California, the reparations commission is proposing an $800 billion budget plan to pay black residents in reparations. The current proposal is based upon various alleged harms caused by the state of California to descendants of slaves.
The final report is due to the California legislature by July 1. Newsom, who created the task force in 2020, has shied away from saying whether he is prepared to endorse and implement its proposals and work.
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The largest hurdle the plan will have to overcome is in the state legislature, where California’s government is currently dealing with a $22.5 billion budget deficit for fiscal 2024.
Other states are working to address reparations, as well. New Jersey and Vermont have considered establishing similar task forces, but no legislation has passed. In 2021, Evanston, Illinois, became the first city to pay out reparations to black residents through a $10 million housing project. The Illinois city voted to expand its program in March to allow direct cash payments.
