In Focus SoCal: California reparations bills; Paralympian returns home

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have helped Black families reclaim or receive compensation for land that was seized unfairly by the government. This was a blow to a key part of a package of reparations bills that the California Legislative Black Caucus supported this year, after a state reparations task force made 115 recommendations to lawmakers. On this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” host Tanya McRae sits down with State Sen. Steven Bradford who authored the eminent domain bill that Newsom vetoed. Bradford introduced the eminent domain bill after the successful return of Bruce’s Beach in 2022 to the descendants of a Black couple who had the beachfront property seized through eminent domain a century ago. Members of the Black caucus blocked two other bills that were introduced separately by Bradford, which were key components of the state’s efforts to atone for racism and discrimination against Black Californians. Senate Bills 1403 and 1331 would have created a new agency and also a fund to help implement policies recommended by the state task force.  “We just continue to advocate and educate the public as to the importance of the agency. It was one of the foundations of the 115...