California Dem wants reparations checks tax-free before anyone even knows who’s getting pa

California Dem wants reparations checks tax-free before anyone even knows who’s getting paid



California’s political class may not have figured out exactly how reparations would work, who would qualify, or how much taxpayers could be on the hook for — but some lawmakers are already working on making sure any future payouts stay out of the tax collector’s reach.

In a move that is sure to reignite one of the state’s most divisive debates, Democratic Assemblymember Tina McKinnor has advanced legislation that would exempt future reparations payments from California state income taxes if such programs are ever approved.

The proposal, Assembly Bill 2186, has now landed in the California Senate after clearing the Assembly. If it survives there, it will head to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.


McKinnor framed the bill as a matter of fairness, arguing that recipients should receive every dollar of any future reparations package. “For generations, descendants of formerly enslaved people have been denied both justice and economic opportunity,” McKinnor said. “Reparations are meant to repair harm, not be partially taken back through taxation.”

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