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A California reparations panel voted on Saturday (May 6) to approve recommendations for payments to compensate its Black residents for decades of injustices and discrimination stemming from slavery, per CNN.
The recommendations are now set to be presented at the next meeting held by California's Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans in June before being sent to state legislatures.
More changes could still be made at the impending meeting, but possible estimates for reparations that will be recommended by the task force include $13,619 per year of residency for healthcare disparities. For housing discrimination, Black Californians could be awarded $3,366 for each year spent as residents between 1933 to 1977. Black Californians may also see an estimated payment of $2,352 for each year of residency between 1971 and 2020 for mass incarceration and over-policing.
The task force is also recommending that the state update the language of its Constitution and apologize for acts of political disenfranchisement.
According to the US Census Bureau, California boasts a Black population of more than 2.5 million. In total, the recommendations, if approved, would cost the state billions of dollars.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) spoke at Saturday's meeting about the importance of reparations for Black Californians.
“Reparations are not only morally justifiable, but they have the potential to address longstanding racial disparities and inequalities,” Lee said.
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