California Announces Reparations Plan…To Mixed Reviews

Los Angeles, CaliforniaSept. 22, 2022Los Angeles long-time resident, Walter Foster, age 80, holds up a sign as the Reparations Task Force meets to hear public input on reparations at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, 2022. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) The California Legislative Black Caucus has announced a package of bills meant to implement recommendations from the state’s landmark task force on reparations. On the eve of Black History Month, over a dozen bills were introduced by the Black Caucus, including policies that would compensate Black families for “racially motivated land seizures sanctioned by the government,” expand access to education, and issue formal apologies to descendants of the enslaved.  However, one thing the bills do not call for is widespread direct cash payments to descendants of enslaved Black people, according to The Associated Press. Some of the measures would require amending the state constitution and are likely to face opposition. If approved, the proposals would expand access to career technical education, fund community-driven solutions to violence and eliminate occupational licensing fees for people with criminal records. Another proposal would pay for programs that increase life expectancy, improve educational outcomes, or lift...