Assembly Bill A7274A

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Establishes the Commission to Study Reparations for African-Americans and to Recommend Remedies; makes an appropriation of $250,000

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

multi-Sponsors

2017-A7274 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S5624
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Civil Rights
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: A3080, S2904
2021-2022: A2619, A9435, S1118
2023-2024: S1163

2017-A7274 - Summary

Relates to acknowledging the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the city of New York and the state of New York; establishing the commission to study reparations for African-Americans and to recommend remedies to examine the institution of slavery, subsequently de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African-Americans, the impact of these forces on living African-Americans and to make recommendations on appropriate remedies; makes an appropriation therefor; and provides for the repeal of such provisions.

2017-A7274 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7274
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 17, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BARRON -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations
 
 AN  ACT to acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and
   inhumanity of slavery in the city of New York and  the  state  of  New
   York; to establish the Commission to Study Reparations for African-Am-
   ericans and to Recommend Remedies, to examine the institution of slav-
   ery,  subsequently  de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimi-
   nation against African-Americans, and the impact of  these  forces  on
   living  African-Americans  and  to make recommendations on appropriate
   remedies; making an appropriation  therefor;  and  providing  for  the
   repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited  as  the  "Repara-
 tions  commission  on  slavery  in  New York state; a study and call for
 remedies act".
   § 2. Legislative intent.  Contrary to what many people believe,  slav-
 ery  was  not  just  a southern institution. Prior to the American Revo-
 lution, there were more enslaved Africans in New York City than  in  any
 other city except Charleston, South Carolina. During this period, slaves
 accounted for 20% of the population of New York and approximately 40% of
 colonial  New York's households owned slaves. These slaves were an inte-
 gral part of the population which settled and developed what we now know
 as the state of New York.
   The first slaves arrived in New Amsterdam, a Dutch  settlement  estab-
 lished  at  the  southern  tip  of  Manhattan Island, around 1627. These
 enslaved Africans did not belong to  individuals,  but  worked  for  the
 Dutch  West  India Company. The Dutch East India Company had established
 Fort Amsterdam, a fortification located  on  the  southern  tip  of  the
 island  of  Manhattan,  for  the  purpose of defending the company's fur
 trade operations in the North River, now known as the Hudson  River.  In
 1624,  New Amsterdam became a provincial extension of the Dutch Republic
 and it was designated the capital of the province in 1625.
 
              

co-Sponsors

2017-A7274A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S5624
Current Committee:
Assembly Ways And Means
Law Section:
Civil Rights
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: A3080, S2904
2021-2022: A2619, A9435, S1118
2023-2024: S1163

2017-A7274A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to acknowledging the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the city of New York and the state of New York; establishing the commission to study reparations for African-Americans and to recommend remedies to examine the institution of slavery, subsequently de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African-Americans, the impact of these forces on living African-Americans and to make recommendations on appropriate remedies; makes an appropriation therefor; and provides for the repeal of such provisions.

2017-A7274A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7274--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 17, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BARRON, HARRIS, PRETLOW, WRIGHT, SEPULVEDA, DICK-
   ENS,  AUBRY,  WALKER,  BLAKE,  WILLIAMS,  RICHARDSON, CRESPO, SOLAGES,
   PICHARDO, ARROYO, RODRIGUEZ,  MOSLEY,  PEOPLES-STOKES,  COOK,  RIVERA,
   DE LA ROSA,  PERRY,  VANEL,  TITUS,  HYNDMAN,  HOOPER,  CAHILL, GANTT,
   JEAN-PIERRE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. FARRELL -- read once and
   referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations --  reported  and
   referred  to  the Committee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged,
   bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended  and  recommitted  to  said
   committee
 
 AN  ACT to acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and
   inhumanity of slavery in the city of New York and  the  state  of  New
   York; to establish the Commission to Study Reparations for African-Am-
   ericans and to Recommend Remedies, to examine the institution of slav-
   ery,  subsequently  de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimi-
   nation against African-Americans, and the impact of  these  forces  on
   living  African-Americans  and  to make recommendations on appropriate
   remedies; making an appropriation  therefor;  and  providing  for  the
   repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited  as  the  "Repara-
 tions  commission  on  slavery  in  New York state; a study and call for
 remedies act".
   § 2. Legislative intent.  Contrary to what many people believe,  slav-
 ery  was  not  just  a southern institution. Prior to the American Revo-
 lution, there were more enslaved Africans in New York City than  in  any
 other city except Charleston, South Carolina. During this period, slaves
 accounted for 20% of the population of New York and approximately 40% of
 colonial  New York's households owned slaves. These slaves were an inte-
 gral part of the population which settled and developed what we now know
 as the state of New York.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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