Newsom’s Veto Of McKinnor’s Bill Draws Outcry From Families Seeking Justice

Elmer Fonza and his family felt disheartened upon learning that Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assemblymember Tina McKinnor's reparations-focused bill on October 13. This legislation aimed to create a framework enabling victims of racially biased eminent domain to seek restitution.Assembly Bill (AB) 62, officially termed “Civil Rights Department: Racially Motivated Eminent Domain,” was among several measures in the California Legislative Black Caucus's “Road to Repair” initiative that Newsom rejected.Fonza lamented, “Newsom’s veto is unjust. He blocked a similar bill previously, and now, even with the reparations agency established, he still opts not to sign it, postponing accountability.” If enacted, AB 62 would have facilitated restitution applications for dispossessed owners and authorized the Civil Rights Department to investigate claims of racially motivated seizures. Fonza and his relatives, descendants of enslaved ancestors, perceive this bill as instrumental in correcting historical wrongs. Their quest for justice persists amid ongoing challenges.

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