Maryland Lawmakers Want to Consider Case for Reparations

Maryland lawmakers have voted in favor of establishing a commission that would explore potential reparations for slavery and racial discrimination. The state Senate approved the bill last month, and it passed the Maryland House with a vote of 101-36 on Wednesday; it now awaits consideration from Gov. Wes Moore. Moore, Maryland's first Black governor and the only Black governor currently in office nationwide, emphasized the state's fiscal challenges—the Hill reports the state has a $3.3 billion deficit—but pledged to consider the legislation. "I have said and long stated that the history of racism in this state is real," and that "the impacts are still very much being felt and they've been structurally felt within the state of Maryland," Moore said.

• The Hill reports the commission would be tasked with reviewing federal, state, and local policies dating to the post-Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras that may have caused "economic disparities based on race, including housing segregation and discrimination, redlining, restrictive covenants, and tax policies." It would also review any benefits public and private institutions may have gained from discriminatory policies and recommend reparations they should consider.
• The AP reports on the various ways in which potential reparations could take shape, per the bill: as apologies, financial compensation, property tax rebates, and various forms of assistance, such as when making a down payment or when paying for childcare or higher-education tuition. At 66 members, the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland is the largest Black caucus among all state legislatures, and it prioritized the measure.
• New York City lawmakers last year voted in favor of conducting a similar review. Fox News reports these types of commissions have also been formed in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Illinois.

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