California Reparations Task Force calls for termination of child support interest debt for black parents

California's Reparations Task Force is asking state lawmakers to enact legislation that will eliminate all interest accrued on unpaid child support payments, stating that the laws are "discriminatory" against black residents because of the "the disproportionate amount of African Americans who are burdened with child support debt."

The Reparations Task Force is also recommending the state forgive all debt associated with unpaid child support for the state's black residents, according to the group's final report which was written over the course of two years, New York Post reports. "27 percent of California’s child support arrears was unpaid interest," the report states.



"One effect of these longstanding harms is the disproportionate amount of African Americans who are burdened with child support debt," the report states. "Although African Americans are less than seven percent of California’s population, they represent around 18 percent of the parents who owe child support debt.43 Under current law, California charges 10 percent interest on back child support, which is more than 3.5 times greater than the national average."
 

"The Task Force recommends that the Legislature enact legislation to terminate all interest accrued on back child support, requiring only the payment of the principal owed. At a minimum, the proposal recommends that the Legislature eliminate the prospective accrual of interest on child support debt for low-income parents," the report states. 

"The Task Force further recommends that the Legislature amend Family Code section 17560, the 'offers in compromise' provision, to allow for offers in compromise and forgiveness of child support debt based solely on a parent’s financial (sic) circumstances and ability to pay. The Task Force recommends that the Legislature amend section 17560 to eliminate the requirements that the amount of the compromise equal or exceed the amount the state would be reimbursed under federal programs like Temporary Assistance to Needy Families," it added.

The California Reparations Task Force was created by Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020, with members appointed in 2021, to study the economic effects of historical slavery and discrimination. The group is then asked to provide recommendations to the California state legislature on how the state can provide reparations to its black residents.

In May during legislative session, the Reparations Task Force recommended a $1.2 million reparations payout to every black resident in the California, accusing the progressive state of wrongdoing descendants of black slaves. The Task Force also demanded to have veto power over the state's real estate decisions in order to give black people first priority in the renting and buying markets.

After reading the 1,064 page final report, which includes categories such as enslavement, racial terror, racism in environment and infrastructure, and the wealth gap, the California state legislature will determine which recommendations are approved or denied.