Overview

In 2024, California's Legislature passed Assembly Bill 3089, which acknowledges the state's role in slavery and its economic benefits. The bill aims to ensure that the legacy of slavery is recognized and that such exploitation does not recur.

Currently, the Legislature is considering the Truth in Disclosure Act (AB 2599), which would require corporations in California to investigate and disclose their historical profits linked to slavery.

Key details

  • The California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 3089 to formally apologize for the state's involvement in slavery.
  • The bill recognizes that California industries profited from slavery.
  • AB 2599, introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, seeks to compel corporations to examine their histories of profits from slavery.
  • The bill aims to create a public record of how corporations benefitted from enslaved labor.
  • Many contemporary industries, including textiles and finance, are linked to profits from slavery.
  • The legacy of slavery affects social and economic structures in California and the nation.
  • Health, economic, educational, and social inequities persist for many Black Californians.
  • California has a history of transparency measures, including laws requiring disclosure related to slavery.
  • The Slavery Era Insurance Policies Law of 2000 revealed that companies treated enslaved individuals as property.
  • The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 mandates disclosure of modern slavery in supply chains.
  • AB 2599 builds on existing laws to further promote corporate accountability.
  • The bill is co-sponsored by the Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation & Truth.

Context

The push for transparency regarding corporate profits from slavery is part of a broader movement to address historical injustices and their lasting impacts on society.

What happens next

The California Legislature will continue to consider AB 2599, which may lead to significant changes in how corporations disclose their historical ties to slavery.

What we don't know yet

Details regarding the specific outcomes of AB 2599 and the reactions from corporations affected by the bill are not confirmed.