Black Caucus Unveils 'Road to Repair' Plan: Tackling Bias and Setting Reparations Standards

*"Senate Bill (SB) 437 tasks the California State University with investigating ways to verify whether someone is a descendant of individuals who were victims of American chattel slavery," stated Senator Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego)."*

"The legislation aims to establish a straightforward, succinct, and empirically grounded procedure for people to validate their familial connections and assertions related to possible advantages or privileges tied to their forebear’s legacy," added Weber Pierson, who additionally serves as the Chair. California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) .

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for her legislation, SB 437, Weber Pierson spoke on April 22nd.

This article is the third installment in a series by California Black Media (CBM) offering specifics on the 16 bills within the Black Caucus’s 2025 “ Road to Repair Package, which includes SB 437.

Each article focuses on four pieces of legislation. Here are summaries of this week’s four bills with information about their authors, and updates on where each one is in the legislative process.

SB 437

SB 437, introduced by Weber Pierson, would require the California State University to study and report on scientific methods for verifying whether someone is a descendant of an enslaved person in the U.S.

In 2020, California enacted AB 3121, establishing the Reparations Task Force to study and develop proposals for addressing the lasting impacts of slavery and systemic discrimination against African Americans. The task force emphasized the need for improved documentation and recognition of genealogical and descendancy claims to ensure access to reparative programs.

“SB 437 builds on these findings by requiring the CSU to develop an accurate and evidence-based eligibility standard for reparative claims,” said Weber Pierson. “By developing such standards, it aids AB 7 by providing a clear and concise process for determining who is a descendant of American chattel slavery.”

On April 22, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the bill with an 11-2 vote. The legislation will now move to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further examination.

SB 503

SB 503, reintroduced by Weber Pierson, aims to oversee the application of artificial intelligence in crucial healthcare settings with the intention of reducing racial biases found within commercial algorithms or prevalent in large datasets from language models.

“We must remain watchful regarding how biases within AI technologies can exacerbate current racial inequalities as artificial intelligence grows more common in healthcare,” stated Weber Pierson.

“If A.I. models are trained on biased data, it can lead to misdiagnoses of Black patients or provide inadequate treatment recommendations, which could ultimately deepen health inequalities.”

Weber Pierson thinks it’s crucial to tackle AI bias in order to develop a healthcare system that treats all individuals fairly, making sure Black patients and other minorities aren’t marginalized or adversely affected by these tech improvements.

AB 935

Assembly Bill 935, proposed by Assembly member Rhodesia Ransom from Stockton, seeks to mandate that both the Civil Rights Division and the Department of Education gather anonymous information such as gender and marital status. This data collection aims to assess how various complaints are addressed.

This legislation promotes transparency, uncovers patterns of inequality, and enables California to implement significant measures," stated Ransom. "For far too long, these systematic discrepancies have remained unnoticed and unaddressed. Without data, we are unable to gauge the complete extent of discrimination or develop effective strategies to counteract it.

Current legislation bans including questions about an applicant's race on any official forms mandated for submission to departments, boards, commissions, officers, agents, or employees within this state. Additionally, the statute specifies that anyone violating this rule will face misdemeanor charges.

The Assembly Education Committee is presently examining AB 935 following the Judiciary Committee’s vote of 9-1 on April 8 to advance it.

AB 785

Assembly Bill 785, proposed by Assembly member LaShae Sharp-Collins from District La Mesa (D), aims to establish the Community Violence Prevention Grant Program. This initiative will provide funding for locally driven strategies aimed at reducing violence within communities and educational institutions.

For far too long, we've been led to believe that there isn't sufficient funding available for initiatives aimed at supporting young people and breaking the cycle of imprisonment," stated Sharp-Collins. "Bill AB 785 challenges this notion and proposes redirecting funds saved through the closure of prisons towards proven strategies such as diversion tactics and school-based healthcare to decrease violent incidents within communities.

Applicants for grant funding must show how they will focus on students most affected by trauma, especially those who struggle to access traditional services, such as low-income or homeless students, those with PTSD or severe trauma, immigrant and refugee students, students with special needs, and those involved with child protective services or the juvenile justice system.

On April 23, the Assembly Committee on Health approved AB 785 with a vote of 13-0. The bill is now being considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

MORE NEWS ON Cryptonesia: Reparations at Forefront of California Legislative Black Caucus’s (CLBC) 2025 Policy Agenda | VIDEO

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