California shelves reparations bills for black Americans after legislature approves plans to give non-citizens $150,000 to buy new homes

While California lawmakers have passed legislation to grant illegal immigrants up to $150,000 toward home down payments in the state, a pair of bills aimed at providing reparations to black residents has stalled.

The pair of bills, authored by Democrat state Senator Steven Bradford, are Senate Bill 1331, which would have created a new state fund for reparations, and Senate Bill 1403, which would have created a new state agency to oversee these efforts and determine eligibility, according to Fox News.

A bill granting first-time homebuyers assistance with down payments from a taxpayer-funded home loan program passed the state Legislature on Wednesday, and the state Senate on Tuesday. California Governor Gavin Newsom has until the end of September to sign or veto the bill, according to the New York Post.  

Assembly Bill 1840 would expand the "California Dream for All" program and rename it the Home Purchase Assistance Program. It would allow for illegal immigrants to receive 20 percent of a home downpayment, up to $150,000.

Saturday was the last day of the legislative year for California, and SB 1331 and 1403 were placed on inactive file before midnight.

Podcast host Sabby Sabs said "California Black Caucus sweating bullets because reparations activists showed up with demands. They just passed 150K housing loans for migrants but tabled a reparations bill for descendants of slavery. Black faces in high places isn't enough. Do something for us or get out."

According to Politico, Bradford and other advocates said that Newsom’s aides had pushed to narrow the proposal. Draft amendments obtained by the outlet proposed to send $6 million to California State University to study how to best implement recommendations from the state’s reparations task force. The draft amendments removed the creation of a Freedmen Affairs Agency.

Bradford’s office confirmed the draft’s authenticity and said that it had come from the Newsom administration. He said he refused to accept the proposed amendments. Members of the California Black Caucus reportedly worried about vetoes and how that would reflect on the rest of the reparations bills, said Chris Lodgson, lead organizer and advocate for the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California. Bradford told reporters that Newsom’s office had cited "cost pressures during a year in which the state had to trim billions from its budget," Politico reported.

Caucus chair Lori Wilson denied that the governor’s office had sought changes that would have turned the bill that created a new agency into one that conducted more studies on the subject. "That is not true. It’s unfortunate that that information was put out there. There was no way, shape or form that the Newsom administration recommended further study."

The California Legislative Black Caucus wrote on X that "the caucus was unable to participate in the legislative process collectively and only recently became aware of the concerns and issues" with bill 1403. "In its current form, one of the primary concerns with the bill is that it ceded legislative oversight authority, which is critical given the generational impact this legislation would have."

"We are well past the amendment deadline; therefore, the decision has been made to continue working on this bill and reintroduce it in the next session." The statement later added, "regarding the status of Senate Bill 1331, the CLBC will not be moving forward this year. The bill is not part of the CLBC 2024 Reparations Priority Legislation Package."

Members of the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California protested a in the Capitol rotunda, demanding that lawmakers take up a vote on the two bills. On X, the group claimed that the CLBC "cheated to stop reparations bills from getting to the Governor’s desk."

"This type of betrayal cannot go unanswered. There must be a political price to pay. Gone are the days when politicians of any race or party can disrespect Black Americans and expect no political consequences. We are not captured. We do not belong to any party or special interest. We are the living embodiment of our Ancestors who built this state and this country over 400 years and who are owed Reparations. We're coming...No...We're HERE, to get our checks and more."