CA SB 518
enactedDescendants of enslaved persons: reparations.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper
Quick answers
Did CA SB 518 pass?
Yes. CA SB 518 has been enacted into law as of 2025-10-10. Latest recorded action (2025-10-10): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 586, Statutes of 2025.
What is CA SB 518 about?
Former law, Chapter 319 of the Statutes of 2020, until July 1, 2023, established a task force to, among other things, identify, compile, and synthesize the relevant corpus of evidentiary documentation of the institution of slavery that existed within the United States and the colonies, as specified, and to recommend the form of compensation that should be awarded, the instrumentalities through which it should be awarded, and who should be eligible for this compensation. Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes the Civil Rights Department and sets forth its powers and duties, including, among others, receiving, investigating, and prosecuting complaints alleging violations of civil rights, as specified. This bill would establish the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within the department, under the control of the deputy director, who would be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The bill would require the bureau to create a Genealogy Division, as specified, and to verify an individual's status as a descendant and would require proof of an individual's descendant status to be a qualifying criterion for benefits authorized by the state for descendants. The bill would also require the bureau to create an Education and Outreach Division and a Legal Affairs Division. The bill would impose various requirements on the bureau relating to the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal and genetic information, as specified. The bill would authorize the bureau to receive moneys from any federal, state, or local grant and from any nongovernmental entity, as specified. This bill would make implementation of its provisions contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature, as specified. This bill would include findings and declarations relating to a gift of public funds. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Who sponsors CA SB 518?
Weber Pierson is the primary sponsor of CA SB 518, joined by 12 cosponsors.
Description
Former law, Chapter 319 of the Statutes of 2020, until July 1, 2023, established a task force to, among other things, identify, compile, and synthesize the relevant corpus of evidentiary documentation of the institution of slavery that existed within the United States and the colonies, as specified, and to recommend the form of compensation that should be awarded, the instrumentalities through which it should be awarded, and who should be eligible for this compensation. Existing law, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, establishes the Civil Rights Department and sets forth its powers and duties, including, among others, receiving, investigating, and prosecuting complaints alleging violations of civil rights, as specified. This bill would establish the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within the department, under the control of the deputy director, who would be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The bill would require the bureau to create a Genealogy Division, as specified, and to verify an individual's status as a descendant and would require proof of an individual's descendant status to be a qualifying criterion for benefits authorized by the state for descendants. The bill would also require the bureau to create an Education and Outreach Division and a Legal Affairs Division. The bill would impose various requirements on the bureau relating to the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal and genetic information, as specified. The bill would authorize the bureau to receive moneys from any federal, state, or local grant and from any nongovernmental entity, as specified. This bill would make implementation of its provisions contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature, as specified. This bill would include findings and declarations relating to a gift of public funds. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
- Introduced
- 2025-02-19
- Latest action
- 2025-10-10 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 586, Statutes of 2025.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Weber Piersonauthor
- Richardsoncoauthor
- Smallwood-Cuevascoauthor
- Bontacoauthor
- Bryancoauthor
- Elhawarycoauthor
- Gipsoncoauthor
- Jacksoncoauthor
- Kalracoauthor
- McKinnorcoauthor
- Ransomcoauthor
- Sharp-Collinscoauthor
- Wilsoncoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2025-02-19
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
introduction,reading-1,referral-committee
2025-02-20
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
2025-02-26
Referred to Coms. on G.O. and JUD.
referral-committee
2025-03-17
Set for hearing March 25.
2025-03-20
March 25 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
2025-04-07
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on G.O.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-04-07
Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
referral-committee
2025-04-07
Withdrawn from committee.
withdrawal
2025-04-09
Set for hearing April 22.
2025-04-10
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-04-23
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2. Page 835.) (April 22).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-04-24
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-04-29
Set for hearing May 5.
2025-05-05
May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-05-16
Set for hearing May 23.
2025-05-23
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2025-05-23
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 1203.) (May 23).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-05-27
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-06-02
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 1402.) Ordered to the Assembly.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-06-03
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
reading-1
2025-06-09
Referred to Com. on JUD.
referral-committee
2025-06-16
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-06-19
June 24 hearing postponed by committee.
2025-07-02
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (July 1).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-07-03
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-07-16
July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-08-29
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 29).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-09-02
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2025-09-03
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-09-05
Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended.
2025-09-05
Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-05
Read third time and amended.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-09
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 60. Noes 17. Page 3064.) Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-09
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-10
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2837.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-09-22
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
executive-receipt
2025-10-10
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2025-10-10
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 586, Statutes of 2025.
became-law
Versions
- 02/19/25 - Introduced — 2025-02-19Compare
- 04/07/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-04-07Compare
- 04/10/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-04-10Compare
- 04/24/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-04-24Compare
- 05/23/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-05-23Compare
- 06/16/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-06-16Compare
- 07/03/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-07-03Compare
- 09/02/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-09-02Compare
- 09/05/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-09-05Compare
- 09/13/25 - Enrolled — 2025-09-13Compare
- 10/10/25 - Chaptered — 2025-10-10Compare
- SB518Compare
- (document, no version)Compare
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Votes
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-04-22 · pass · 11-2
Member-level votes (13)
- Allen: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Laird: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Stern: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Valladares: no
- Niello: no
Placed on suspense file
2025-05-05 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Wahab: yes
Do pass as amended
2025-05-23 · pass · 5-1
Member-level votes (7)
- Caballero: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Seyarto: no
- Dahle: other
3rd Reading SB518 Weber Pierson et al.
2025-06-02 · pass · 28-10
Member-level votes (40)
- Menjivar: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Rubio: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Becker: yes
- Laird: yes
- Durazo: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Limón: yes
- Allen: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Stern: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: no
- Niello: no
- Seyarto: no
- Valladares: no
- Alvarado-Gil: no
- Grove: no
- Dahle: no
- Strickland: no
- Choi: no
- Jones: no
- Hurtado: other
- Reyes: other
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-07-01 · pass · 9-3
Member-level votes (12)
- Connolly: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Papan: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Macedo: no
- Dixon: no
- Sanchez: no
Do pass as amended.
2025-08-29 · pass · 11-4
Member-level votes (15)
- Elhawary: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Fong: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Solache: yes
- Sanchez: no
- Ta: no
- Tangipa: no
- Dixon: no
SB 518 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Jackson
2025-09-09 · pass · 60-17
Member-level votes (80)
- Ahrens: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Addis: yes
- Ward: yes
- Haney: yes
- Hart: yes
- Fong: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Bains: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Soria: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Berman: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Papan: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Lee: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Solache: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Zbur: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Krell: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Patel: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Johnson: no
- Dixon: no
- Hoover: no
- Hadwick: no
- Tangipa: no
- Macedo: no
- Gallagher: no
- Jeff Gonzalez: no
- Sanchez: no
- Ta: no
- Chen: no
- Castillo: no
- Ellis: no
- Davies: no
- Wallis: no
- Patterson: no
- DeMaio: no
- Lackey: other
- Alanis: other
- Flora: other
Unfinished Business SB518 Weber Pierson et al. Concurrence
2025-09-10 · pass · 30-10
Member-level votes (40)
- Umberg: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Limón: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Laird: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Rubio: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Reyes: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Stern: yes
- Allen: yes
- Caballero: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Becker: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Choi: no
- Strickland: no
- Grove: no
- Niello: no
- Jones: no
- Dahle: no
- Ochoa Bogh: no
- Alvarado-Gil: no
- Seyarto: no
- Valladares: no
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T01:34:27.960412Z
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