Akilah Weber Pierson
- Democratic
- Senator
- District 39
Author
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.
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 586, Statutes of 2025.
Approved by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10. Page 2837.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 60. Noes 17. Page 3064.) Ordered to the Senate.
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended.
Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 29).
July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 3.) (July 1).
June 24 hearing postponed by committee.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 1402.) Ordered to the Assembly.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 1203.) (May 23).
Set for hearing May 23.
May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
Set for hearing May 5.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 2. Page 835.) (April 22).
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
Set for hearing April 22.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on G.O.
Withdrawn from committee.
March 25 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
Set for hearing March 25.
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| SB518 | HTML |
| 02/19/25 - Introduced | |
| 04/07/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 04/10/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 04/24/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 05/23/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 06/16/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 07/03/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/02/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/05/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/13/25 - Enrolled | |
| 10/10/25 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/18/25- Senate Judiciary | |
| 05/02/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/23/25- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/27/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 06/28/25- Assembly Judiciary | |
| 07/14/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 09/03/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 09/05/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 09/09/25- Sen. Floor Analyses |
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