Descendants of enslaved persons: reparations.

Senator Weber Pierson's legislation establishes a Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within California's Department of Justice, creating a framework to address historical property takings and provide reparative remedies for descendants of enslaved persons. The bureau, led by a Senate-confirmed director appointed by the Attorney General, encompasses four specialized divisions focused on genealogy, property reclamation, education and outreach, and legal affairs.

The Property Reclamation Division would document California properties acquired through racially motivated eminent domain and review claims from individuals whose property was taken without just compensation. Upon determining an applicant is a dispossessed owner, the division can recommend returning the original property, granting comparable public property, or providing financial compensation equal to current fair market value. Local entities must identify suitable public properties for compensation when original properties cannot be returned.

The Genealogy Division would develop processes to certify descendant status and establish alternative qualifying criteria when lineage cannot be documented. The Education Division would conduct public outreach about discriminatory urban planning practices, while the Legal Affairs Division would provide counsel on bureau operations and review laws for potential discriminatory impacts. The legislation allows dispossessed owners to pursue legal claims without statute of limitations restrictions if agencies do not provide recommended compensation.

The bill specifies that property titles acquired through past eminent domain actions remain valid except against state or local jurisdictions as outlined. All bureau decisions are subject to judicial review under existing law. Local agencies required to participate in identifying compensation properties would receive state reimbursement for associated costs.