MD reparations commission bill advances despite facing $3.3b deficit
The Maryland legislature is moving forward with a bill, SB0587, aimed at creating a commission to study reparations for individuals whose ancestors were enslaved or affected by discriminatory government policies.The measure has recently passed a preliminary vote in the state House, following approval in the state senate last month. if signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, the commissionS final report would be due by November 1, 2027.
despite support from Democrats and the Legislative Black Caucus, the proposal faces criticism from Republican lawmakers who question the feasibility of exploring such costly measures amid a significant state budget deficit projected to increase from over $3 billion to nearly $7 billion by 2028. The bill’s legislative costs are estimated at $54,500 for the fiscal year 2026.
Governor Moore has not publicly stated his stance on the bill, and Republicans argue against pursuing reparations due to the state’s financial constraints. maryland joins other Democratic-led states like California and New York in considering reparations commissions, though many recommendations from similar commissions in those states have yet to be enacted.
Maryland reparations commission bill advances despite facing $3.3 billion deficit
Lawmakers in the Maryland legislature are one step closer to sending a bill creating a commission studying reparations to Gov. Wes Moore‘s (D-MD) desk after a preliminary vote Tuesday.
SB0587 would create the Maryland Reparations Commission, tasked with studying forms of reparations for people whose ancestors were slaves or “impacted by certain inequitable government policies.”
Moore has not said if he would support the bill if it were brought before him for approval, dodging questions on the matter from Baltimore television station WBFF.
Maryland’s Department of Legislative Services found the legislation would cost $54,500 for fiscal 2026, as the state faces a budget deficit of more than $3 billion that is expected to rise to nearly $7 billion in 2028. The state Senate passed a budget which would increase taxes and make cuts throughout the Maryland government as it seeks to close the significant deficit.
Republicans, who are in the super-minority in both chambers of the Maryland legislature, have questioned why the costly proposals are being considered when the state faces fiscal strains.
“We don’t have the money right now to be exploring these options, period,” GOP state Sen. Justin Ready told WBFF. “[T]he issue of reparations, I’m sure elicits strong opinions, but the fact is it’s just something that’s not financially feasible, whether you think it’s a good idea or not.”
If the bill is signed into law, a final report from the commission, which would be similar to other commissions created by some states and cities in recent years, including in California, would be due by Nov. 1, 2027.
The measure passed in the state Senate last month, and advanced past a second reading in the state House Tuesday. The bill will need to pass a third reading in the state House and be reviewed in the state Senate before it can be sent to Moore for approval or veto.
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Democrats in the state legislature have been supportive of the measure and the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, which is made up solely of Democrats, named the legislation as one its priorities for the 2025 session.
While similar reparations commissions have been created in other Democrat-led states, including New York and California, much of the major recommendations from the commissions have yet to be implemented. In California, costly proposals from their reparations panel failed to be signed into law during the 2024 session, four years after the commission was created with significant fanfare.
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