Gov. Gavin Newsom is signing a slew of bills before he terms out as governor in January 2027 and another candidate takes over after the November elections. One of the bills he signed is AB 2599, the Truth in Disclosure Act, requiring qualifying corporations doing business in the state making over 100 million dollars to disclose whether they or predecessor entities engaged in or profited from slavery-era transactions.
The bill was written by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan and was identified as a priority of the California Legislative Black Caucus, according to Precinct Reporter News. The filings would be stored in a public database, and companies that fail to comply with the bill would face perjury charges and hefty fines.
This bill is the next step in California’s disclosure framework as they work to figure out what qualifies someone as a descendant of slaves. The state established the task force in 2020 after Newsom signed AB 3121, creating what California described as the nation’s first statewide reparations task force. After two years of research and dozens of public hearings, the task force released a comprehensive report. It examined the historical and continuing effects of anti-Black discrimination and proposed policies to address those harms.
Following the bill signing, Lori Wilson, D-Solano County and Sacramento, said, “Together with Gov. Newsom, we are sending a powerful message that California is leading the way in repairing harm done to Black communities. Today marks a victory, but only the first in the continued fight for justice.”
In 2024, Gov. Newsom signed several reparations bills, including AB 3089, a formal apology by the State of California for its role in perpetuating slavery and its ongoing legacy of systemic racism.
In 2025, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 437 (Weber-Pierson) into law, requiring the California State University system to explore options for determining how to confirm an individual’s status as a descendant, and SB 518 (Weber‑Pierson), creating the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within the Civil Rights Department.
“The State of California accepts responsibility for the role we played in promoting, facilitating, and permitting the institution of slavery, as well as its enduring legacy of persistent racial disparities. Building on decades of work, California is now taking another important step forward in recognizing the grave injustices of the past – and making amends for the harms caused,” Newsom said in a statement.
Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, who also served on the reparations task force, said, “Healing can only begin with an apology. The State of California acknowledges its past actions. It is taking this bold step to correct them, recognizing its role in hindering the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness for Black individuals through racially motivated punitive laws.”
