MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamilia Land
Co-Director, State Operations, ASNN
Phone: 424-229-4711
Email: Jamilia@abolishslavery.us
Press Release: Senate Public Safety Hearing on California Reparations Bill
ACA 8 - The End Slavery in California Act
Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Time: 8:30 AM
Location: California State Capitol
Sacramento, CA – On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 8:30 AM, the California Senate
Public Safety Committee will gather at the California State Capitol to deliberate and
vote on ACA 8 - The End Slavery in California Act. This pivotal bill, a key component
of the California Reparations Bill Package, seeks to eliminate involuntary servitude
from the state’s constitution.
Authored by Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson, Chair of the California Legislative
Black Caucus, ACA 8 continues the work initiated by former California State Senator
and current U.S. Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove. Congresswoman
Kamlager-Dove’s previous legislative effort, ACA 3 - The California Abolition Act,
aimed to eradicate legalized slavery but did not pass in the State Senate.
"Although many Americans believe the 13th Amendment ended slavery, we
recognize that the institution has evolved into new forms, from Jim Crow laws to
today’s prison system,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “The exceptions for
slavery and involuntary servitude in both the California Constitution and the 13th
Amendment are moral disgraces that need to be addressed at both federal and state
levels. In Congress, I proudly reintroduced the Abolition Amendment to amend the
U.S. Constitution and abolish slavery once and for all. We must sustain this
momentum at the state level—I urge swift passage of ACA 8 to end prison labor in
California."
The California Democratic Party’s recent endorsement of ACA 8, led by U.S.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, marks a significant milestone in the effort to reform
state laws that perpetuate historical injustices. Waters testified on behalf of the ACA
8 coalition, declaring, "This is an issue we’ve been discussing for a long time.
Incarcerated people are subjected to modern-day forced labor that must be
outlawed. The issue is so clear and so right. And I join them in saying, ‘let’s move
this ACA so we can address this issue.’”
"The fight to end involuntary servitude in California's constitution is a vital step
towards justice and equality," stated Assemblymember Wilson. "We are committed to
rectifying this historic wrong and ensuring our state laws uphold the principles of freedom and human dignity." The upcoming vote on ACA 8 represents a critical
moment in the ongoing struggle to address and correct the historical injustices faced
by African Americans in California and across the United States.
Jamilia Land, Co-Director of State Operations for the Abolish Slavery National
Network and bill co-sponsor, questioned, “How can we continue to have an honest
conversation about reparations in a state and country where legalized slavery is still
practiced?” Land pointed out that California previously opposed ACA 3, citing costs
to end legalized slavery, despite the state’s claims of entering the union as free.
The passage of ACA 8 would be a significant step towards meaningful reparations
and social justice. "Following the California Democratic Party’s resounding
endorsement of ACA 8, it is crucial that we maintain this momentum and act with the
urgency this moment demands," stated Assemblymember Wilson. "We must move
mountains to correct a historical wrong and finally eradicate the last remnants of
slavery from our state constitution. Let’s ensure that incarcerated individuals have
the dignity to choose rehabilitation over exploitation."
Upon legislative approval, ACA 8 will allow voters to remove the “exception clause”
that enables prison officials to compel incarcerated individuals to labor and penalize
those who refuse work assignments that do not support their rehabilitation.