Descendants of enslaved persons: reparations.

Senator Weber Pierson's legislation establishes the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within California's Department of Justice to verify eligibility and administer reparative programs for descendants of enslaved persons. The Bureau, led by a Senate-confirmed director appointed by the Attorney General, would comprise four specialized divisions to handle different aspects of the reparations process.

The Genealogy Division would certify descendant status through established evidence-based methodology and create processes for eligible individuals to submit claims for compensation. For cases where genealogical proof is challenging, the division would develop alternative qualifying criteria. The Property Reclamation Division would investigate claims related to racially motivated eminent domain, maintain a database of affected properties, and determine appropriate compensation for dispossessed owners or their descendants.

Under the property reclamation framework, individuals could seek return of taken property, equivalent publicly held property, or financial compensation equal to current fair market value less any original payment adjusted for inflation. The bill removes statute of limitations restrictions on these claims and allows dispossessed owners to pursue legal action if public entities decline to provide certified compensation.

The Bureau's Education and Outreach Division would conduct public education on historical discrimination in urban planning and property rights, while the Legal Affairs Division would provide counsel on program administration, review relevant legislation, and coordinate with other agencies. The bill requires strict controls on personal and genetic information, limiting collection and disclosure to purposes directly related to eligibility verification and claims processing.

Implementation depends on legislative funding appropriations. The measure includes provisions for reimbursing local agencies for any state-mandated costs and legislative findings that the programs serve legitimate public purposes rather than constituting gifts of public funds.