New York Republicans argued that creating a reparations commission would only further divide the state.
A new reparations committee in New York State has sparked anger from Republicans who argue that the panel will only divide the state.
New York will create a commission tasked with studying potential reparations for state residents who are descendants of enslaved people under a bill signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday. The commission, which will present its findings in 2025, will be tasked with examining the state’s legacy of slavery and making non-binding recommendations on how to address racial and structural inequalities in New York that could include monetary compensation.
Anything proposed by the panel would need to be passed by the state legislature and governor.
New York is the second state after California to create such a commission. It comes at a time when many states and cities across the country are figuring out how to address systemic racism in the U.S. The panel in California finished its work earlier this year, recommending as much as $1.2 million per eligible resident over time.
Although the creation of the New York committee was praised by Black leaders who attended Tuesday’s signing and other state officials, it was also met with backlash from Republicans like New York state Senator Rob Ortt and New York GOP Chairman Ed Cox.
Ortt blasted the legislation on Tuesday, calling the commission «divisive» and «unworkable.» Arguing that the reparations of slavery had already been paid «with the blood and lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans who fought to end slavery during the Civil War,» Ortt said he was confident that any recommendations from the panel would hurt residents rather than help.
