Overview
- Lawmakers created the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within the Civil Rights Department, with divisions for genealogy, education and outreach, and legal affairs.
- Up to $6 million was authorized for the California State University system to research methods to verify eligibility for descendant-based benefits.
- Newsom vetoed five measures backed by the Legislative Black Caucus, including college admissions preference, a process to address racially motivated eminent-domain takings, and a 10% set-aside in a state-backed home loan program.
- The governor’s veto messages referenced potential legal exposure under state and federal law, including risks to federal funding, along with fiscal concerns.
- Caucus leaders say they will rework proposals for the 2026 session as legal constraints such as Proposition 209 continue to shape policy design.