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Black Lawmakers

All articles tagged with #black lawmakers

politics1 year ago

California's Landmark Reparations Bills: A Breakdown

California's Legislative Black Caucus has introduced a series of reparations bills based on recommendations from the state's task force, which include measures such as compensating for seized property and funding community-driven solutions, but do not include widespread direct cash payments to descendants of enslaved Black people. The proposals, some of which would require amending the state constitution, have drawn criticism from advocates who believe they do not go far enough in addressing the debt owed to descendants of enslaved individuals.

politics2 years ago

Christian group gathers 12,000 signatures to oust TN Republican leader who expelled Black lawmakers.

A Christian group called Faithful America has gathered over 12,500 signatures on a petition demanding the resignation of Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican, who led a vote that expelled two Black lawmakers earlier this month. The petition accuses Sexton and the Republican caucus of "authoritarian actions" and calls for accountability. The two Black lawmakers were reinstated a week later after votes by their respective local councils and commissions. Sexton has not yet responded to the petition.

politics2 years ago

Tennessee GOP's Undemocratic Expulsion of Black Lawmakers.

An unnamed Republican lawmaker in Tennessee reportedly called Rep Justin Jones and another Black legislator “baboons” during the summer of 2020. Mr Jones and another Black lawmaker, former Rep Justin Pearson, were expelled from the state legislature last week for joining gun violence protests in the wake of a mass shooting at a Nashville school. The revelation comes as Tennessee grapples with the fallout of the expulsion of Mr Jones and Mr Pearson for taking part in protests from the floor of the legislature following the shooting that left six people dead at a local Christian school.

politics2 years ago

Expelled Tennessee Lawmakers Seek Return to Legislature Amid Protests and Controversy

Two former Black Democratic lawmakers in Tennessee who were expelled by Republican colleagues for protesting for gun-control measures following a deadly school shooting, want to be reappointed and elected back to their seats. The expulsions have made Tennessee a new front in the battle for the future of American democracy. The former lawmakers have quickly drawn prominent supporters, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Special elections for the seats, which have yet to be set, will follow in the coming months.