San Diego County Supervisors vote to support CA reparations package
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Photo illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios. Photos: Clarence Gatson Collection/Gado/Getty Images, Dave Randolph/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images, National Archives via Mapping Inequality
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is now an official supporter of reparations bills state lawmakers are considering to address California's history of systemic racism and discrimination against Black residents.
Why it matters: The bills, each at different stages of the legislative process, include civil rights and educational initiatives, greater health care access and criminal-justice reform that will affect local residents.
Catch up quick: In January, the California Legislative Black Caucus introduced 14 bills based on recommendations in a report by the Reparations Task Force — a first-in-the-nation group established in 2021.
- The proposed laws include a formal apology for human-rights violations; financial aid for redlined communities; restoring property; and protecting the right to wear "natural and protective" hairstyles in competitive sports, CalMatters reports.
- None include widespread direct payments to descendants of slavery, which was recommended by the task force.
- The state plans to spend up to $12 million on reparations legislation in the new budget, but which programs will get that money is not yet defined.
Zoom in: County supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, who proposed the motion that passed 4-1 at the board meeting Tuesday, was a member of the task force.
- California Secretary of State Shirley Weber authored the bill that created the task force when she represented San Diego in the State Assembly.
- She's also been a long-time ally and mentor for Montgomery-Steppe.
What they're saying: "It is no secret that our county carries the stain of historical racism and discrimination against the Black community," Montgomery Steppe said in a statement.
- "Reparations are about repair and ensuring we don't go backwards, and I'm grateful to the California Legislative Black Caucus and my colleagues for supporting measures that initiate those actions," she said.
Case in point: As the Medi-Cal and CalFresh provider, San Diego County would be directly responsible for implementing policy in AB 1975, which was introduced as part of the reparations package.
- If passed, medically supportive food and nutrition interventions would be a covered benefit under Medi-Cal.
- So, if someone needs to go on a specific diet for medical reasons, they can use their medical benefits to pay for that food, according to Steppe's office.
- By requiring access to these interventions, this bill targets health care costs and health disparities affecting people of color, as many chronic conditions can be prevented and treated by adequate food and nutrition.
The big picture: A growing number of states and local municipalities — from New York to San Francisco — are examining possible reparations for Black descendants of enslavement and Jim Crow-era discrimination, Axios' Russell Contreras writes.
- Yes, but: The financial cost can be a barrier for governments, which more intently pursued these efforts following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
What to watch: Each bill is making its way through the State Assembly and will be voted on individually.