Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has approved legislation establishing a new state agency tasked with administering programs for descendants of slaves, marking the latest step in his years-long effort to advance reparations policies despite ongoing political and fiscal challenges.

The move follows years of stalled negotiations, activist pressure, and budget shortfalls, as Newsom continues working to push the issue forward in the nation’s most populous state.

The new law, Senate Bill 518, creates the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery within the California Civil Rights Department. The bureau will be led by a governor-appointed deputy director and organized into three main divisions: Genealogy, Education and Outreach, and Legal Affairs. The agency will be responsible for verifyin

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