Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a #Senate #Republican from Spring Hill, has submitted a proposed constitutional amendment, SJR 582, aimed at barring state and local governments from providing reparations to descendants of slaves. This move is set for consideration during the 2024 legislative session starting in January, with the intention of placing it on the November 2024 ballot pending approval from 60% of both the Senate and the House.
The proposed amendment explicitly seeks to "prohibit the state, a county, a municipality, and any other political subdivision from paying compensation in the form of #reparations to an individual who is a descendant of an enslaved individual who lived in the United States before December 6, 1865." As of now, a comparable proposal has not been filed in the House.
Reparations have been a topic of discussion in various parts of the country, with #California being notable for the deliberations of a task force that issued a significant report on the matter over the summer. Efforts towards reparations for the enslavement of Black Americans have gained traction in recent years. Evanston, Illinois, pioneered a reparations plan in 2021, becoming the first U.S. city to do so. California established the nation's inaugural state-level reparations task force the same year, while Harvard University initiated a $100 million "Legacy of Slavery" fund.
However, a 2021 Pew Research Center survey revealed that the majority of Americans, 68%, oppose reparations for descendants of enslaved individuals. Disparities persist along racial lines, with 77% of Black adults supporting reparations compared to only 18% of White Americans.
Ingoglia's proposal adds to the ongoing national conversation about reparations and raises questions about the stance of Florida lawmakers on this historically significant issue.
Senator Blaise Ingoglia's proposed constitutional amendment to bar state and local governments from providing reparations to descendants of slaves is a stark reminder of the deep-seated challenges we face in addressing historical injustices and systemic racism.
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Link: Orlando Weekly
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