The NAACP is urging California lawmakers to pass two reparations bills that have reportedly stalled in the legislature.
According to The Observer, Senate Bills 518 and 437, which aim to implement recommendations made by California’s Reparations Task Force, have been placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee’s “suspense file,” a holding place for bills with significant fiscal impact.
The California-Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP is raising concerns about these bills, both authored by Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) and backed by the California Legislative Black Caucus, being delayed following their placement on the suspense file.
“For generations, Black Californians have carried the weight of systemic harm with no redress,” Rick L. Callender, president of the NAACP California-Hawaii State Conference, said in a statement. “These bills offer the state a chance to begin making that right.”
SB 518 would establish a state agency to implement reparations for descendants of enslaved people. SB 437 would make way for California State University to use genealogical research to verify eligibility for future reparations programs.
In response to concerns about funding, Weber Pierson confirmed that $12 million has already been set aside in California’s 2024 budget. Half of the funds are reportedly earmarked for CSU research under SB 437, while the remainder has not been publicly allocated. The California Department of Justice estimates SB 518 would cost $11.3 million in the 2025–26 fiscal year and $18 million annually after that, mainly for staffing 85 new positions across its legal and research divisions.
Despite opposition from conservative organizations, the bills have gained support from advocacy coalitions including the Western Center on Law and Poverty, Greater Sacramento Urban League, and the Black Equity Collective.
“California must lead with courage, not caution,” Callender said. “Move these bills forward without another delay.”
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