New York Establishes Commission to Study Slavery and Consider Reparations

The non-binding recommendations of the nine-member commission could potentially include monetary compensation, following in the footsteps of California.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a bill into law creating a commission to study the effects of slavery and consider reparations.
The nine-member commission will examine the institution of slavery, which was fully abolished in New York by 1827, and its ongoing impact on Black New Yorkers today.
The commission's recommendations, due a year after its first meeting, could potentially include monetary compensation but would be non-binding.
The idea of using public money for reparations is expected to draw backlash from some groups, including those who don't believe they should have to pay for the sins of long-ago ancestors.
Other states, including California, Massachusetts and New Jersey, have considered studying reparations, but only California has passed legislation.