POLITICO California Playbook PM: Reparations task force releases historic report

Your afternoon must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State

Jun 01, 2022 View in browser   By Alexander Nieves REPAIRING RACIAL HARMS: An extensive report released by California officials on Wednesday details the state's history of racism against Black residents and offers recommendations for repairing those harms — the first government-sponsored study of its kind in more than five decades. The findings in the 500-page document lay out a timeline of what the California Reparations Task Force calls "white supremacy" beliefs and laws that states, including California, instituted to maintain the legacy of slavery. Those policies include racial segregation that forced Black Californians into neighborhoods with higher pollution and inadequate infrastructure, criminalization for the sake of maintaining social control, and other discriminatory practices in education and employment. The interim report represents a major step for the first-in-the-nation task force, which was established in 2020 through legislation by Secretary of State Shirley Weber, who served in the Assembly at the time. Wednesday's report highlights that although California was a "free state," enslaved African Americans lived here and groups like the Ku Klux Klan permeated local government and society, leading to racial violence that peaked after World War II. It's the first government-commissioned analysis of institutional racism against the Black community since President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the Kerner Commission report in 1968, according to task force Chair Kamilah Moore. Not included are highly anticipated recommendations for the size of reparations payments and exactly who should receive them, a plan the task force must send lawmakers by next year. But the document offers dozens of recommendations for undoing the lingering effects of racism. Some of the highlights: Estimating the value of Black-owned businesses and property in California that was stolen or destroyed through acts of racial terror, distributing that money to Black Californians, and making housing grants and zero-interest business and housing loans available. Compensating residents who were forcibly removed from their homes by the state through eminent domain construction projects — and families who were denied inheritances because of laws criminalizing interracial marriage. Repealing Article 34 of the California Constitution, which requires cities to get voter approval before building public housing. Creating a state-subsidized mortgage program to provide low interest rates for qualified applicants. Providing more students free tuition at California colleges and universities. Raising the minimum wage and requiring health benefits and paid time off for workers in food and hospitality services, agricultural, food processing and domestic-worker industries. Requiring that incarcerated people be paid market rate for their labor in prison and be allowed to vote. The task force proposes the creation of a new department to oversee the implementation of these policies and to help residents prove their eligibility and apply for future reparations payments. HAPPY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON! Welcome to California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check of California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. We'll go Monday to Thursday through June 9 before returning in August for the legislative homestretch. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to katymurphy@politico.com and anieves@politico.com or send a shout on Twitter. DMs are open! WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY SUPERVISED DRUG USE: It's been nearly four years since then-Gov. Jerry Brown rejected a bill to open facilities where people could use illicit drugs under medical supervision to try to reduce overdose deaths. Now Gov. Gavin Newsom may get his chance to weigh in. State Sen. Scott Wiener's bill to authorize testing these sites in certain places — San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles — cleared its final policy hearing on Wednesday after getting stalled over legal questions last year. The proposal, Senate Bill 57, heads next to the Assembly floor. Wiener, who plans to hold a press conference on Thursday morning in support of the bill, is angling for a swift vote. Newsom hasn't publicly taken a stance on the issue — aside from a 2018 campaign comment in which he described himself as being "very, very open" to the concept. New York opened two facilities in November and Rhode Island has passed legislation authorizing them, but the so-called supervised consumption sites remain controversial. Michael Shellenberger, who is challenging Newsom in next week's primary, spoke at a Public Safety Committee hearing on Wednesday morning, criticizing the bill as "addiction maintenance" rather than a solution. — Victoria Colliver ON THE BEATS CTA SIDES WITH TRIBES: One of the state's largest labor organizations is fighting a ballot measure backed by gaming giants DraftKings and FanDuel that would allow out-of-state operators to offer online sports betting in California. The California Teachers Association voted last week to oppose the measure. An alternative proposal, which has already qualified for the ballot, would legalize in-person sports betting, but only on tribal lands and certain horse racetracks. — Lara Korte VACCINE CONSENT: An intense, two-hour debate on Wednesday over Wiener's bill to allow minors 12 and older to get federally authorized vaccinations without their parents' consent ended with the Assembly Judiciary Committee voting 6-4 to send SB 866 to the Assembly for a floor vote. At one point, callers in opposition clogged the phone lines during the support portion of the hearing. Assemblymember Ash Kalra, who was filling in for Assembly Judiciary Committee Chair Mark Stone, threatened to shorten their time to speak out against the bill (he ultimately didn't, and callers complained about confusing phone instructions). But the issue continues to pit parents who accuse the legislation of interfering with their rights to make medical decisions for their children against public health advocates and others who say the bill gives older children the right to protect their own health . — Victoria Colliver AROUND CALIFORNIA "Los Angeles will clamp down on selling flavored tobacco products," by the Los Angeles Times' Emily Alpert Reyes: "Los Angeles will ban many businesses from selling tobacco products that come in sweet, spicy and minty flavors under new restrictions backed Wednesday by the City Council. "The new rules were celebrated by public health advocates and community groups that argue that tobacco products with appealing flavors — including menthol cigarettes, flavored cigars and liquid pods for electronic cigarettes — have been a gateway to nicotine addiction for teens. Researchers have found that the majority of youth who use tobacco started with flavored products." "Sheryl Sandberg, one of tech's most powerful women, to leave Facebook parent Meta," by SF Chronicle's Roland Li: "Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook parent Meta, said she was leaving the company after 14 years. "Sitting by Mark's side for these 14 years has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime. Mark is a true visionary and a caring leader," Sandberg wrote in a Facebook post reminiscing about her history with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg." Compiled by Juhi Doshi MIXTAPE — More than 6 million Southern Californians will be placed under new drought rules Wednesday. (LATimes) — Amber Heard was found liable for defaming Johnny Depp, and the jury awarded Depp $15 million in damages and Heard $2 million. (CBS News) — Sacramento's existing cannabis dispensary owners will be able to sell the majority of their business after the City Council on Tuesday night approved new rules. (Sacramento Bee)   Follow us on Twitter Katy Murphy @katymurphy POLITICO California @politicoca   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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