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Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer Talks Reparations

California’s reparations task force will today release its first of two reports detailing the state’s history of slavery and racism — and recommending ways the Legislature might begin a process of redress for Black Californians, including proposals to offer housing grants, free tuition and to raise the minimum wage.

The 500-page study describes decades of state and federal government actions that harmed Black Americans — from slavery to more recent factors that include redlining, mass incarceration, police actions and the widening wealth gap between Blacks and whites.

Asm. Jones-Sawyer and the Historic Reparations Report

SAN FRANCISCO -- The slavery reparations movement hit a watershed moment Wednesday with the release of an exhaustive report detailing California’s role in perpetuating discrimination against African Americans, a major step toward educating the public and setting the stage for an official government apology and case for financial restitution. 

Statement On Governor Newsom’s May Revise Budget

I applaud the Governor’s continued focus on providing resources to struggling Californians affected by the pandemic. The fact that California has an historic budget surplus of $95.7 billion, at a time when a global pandemic caused serious disruption in the global economy, education, and public health and safety, places us in a unique position to support the needs of residents.

Statement on Deadly National Shootings

Buffalo, Milwaukee, Orange County, and Los Angeles. All had shootings this weekend. Each ended in deadly tragedy. Whether it is a White supremacist, or someone suffering from a different mental illness, the fact that they can acquire assault weapons, guns, and ammunition with ease is unacceptable. As my prayers are with those devastated by these senseless acts of violence, my resolve is to work on comprehensive gun control to protect us from further heartache.

Bounty Hunter Bill to Change Industry

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26 NEWS) — Tuesday, FOX26 News reported on a group of bounty hunters arresting a man in Fresno. Fresno Police say the man they were after threw a hatchet at the bounty hunters, so one of them shot at him; no one was injured in that process and the man was arrested.

That happened at Latresa Hamburger’s house in a neighborhood near Shaw and West

LA Unrest 30 Years Later

For two California lawmakers, April 29, 1992 became a day that continues to impact their legislative careers three decades later.

Assemblyman Mike Gipson was a police officer and Assemblyman Reggie-Jones Sawyer was working as an emergency preparedness coordinator.

LA Civil Unrest - 30 Years Later

The video that captured the beating of Rodney King was profound in so many ways. For the very first time, the nation witnessed police brutality in a raw form as filmed, not by a member of the media, but rather from an average citizen.

And marginalized communities of color now had evidence of what we had been saying for years – law enforcement used unlawful tactics and tended to target Black males and used excessive force without cause or care of discipline.