Advocates converge on Sacramento to push slavery disclosure bill

Authored by Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan, the legislation has cleared the Assembly and relevant Senate committees, positioning it as a centerpiece of the 2026 reparations agenda. Backed by the California Legislative Black Caucus and the Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation, and Truth, proponents argue that corporate transparency regarding historical human trafficking is a fundamental requirement for systemic accountability.

The press conference, scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on August 25, features a coalition of speakers including Donald K. Tamaki, a former member of the state’s Reparations Task Force, alongside representatives from the California Black Power Network, PICO California, and Catalyst California. If enacted, the bill would force qualifying companies to publicly document their historical involvement in chattel slavery and related labor practices, marking a significant step in the state’s broader effort to address enduring racial inequities.