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Governor Newsom has been busy signing – and vetoing – bills sent to him by the Assembly and the Senate. To see a complete listing, click here. Among the bills he signed are these which will strengthen Diversity, Equity and Inclusion laws.
SB 518: Establishes the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within the California Department of Justice. The new agency will be responsible for verifying eligibility, processing claims and recommending forms of restitution for descendants of enslaved African Americans. The law also gives Californians whose families were dispossessed of property through racially motivated eminent domain the right to seek compensation under the Government Claims Act. Lawmakers described the measure as a key step in California’s broader effort to address historical racial injustices and lay the groundwork for future reparations policy.
AB 1070: LWVC had issued an Action Alert asking members to contact the Governor to sign this bill. “This is a critical bill to strengthen the Racial Justice Act and assert California's commitment to a justice system free from racial bias. The RJA was a historic step toward confronting racial bias in our courts, but gaps in implementation are leaving people unprotected.”
AB 495: Allows a broad range of relatives to step in as children’s caregivers if their parents are deported. It will also bar daycare providers from collecting immigration information about a child or their parents and allows parents to nominate a temporary legal guardian for their child in family court.
Governor Newsom also signed a legislative package to expand services and resources for California women, advancing the public health, safety, and quality of life of all women. This series of bills closes gaps in maternal and prenatal care, improves health outcomes and access to child care resources, and protects vulnerable women.
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