Two Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey have introduced legislation that could lead to direct reparations payments for all Black residents of the state, regardless of their lineage. The bill, titled "The Truth, Reconciliation, and Repair Act of New Jersey," was cosponsored by Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson and State Sen. Angela McKnight.
The proposed legislation, introduced on June 15, is based on recommendations from a 2025 report by the New Jersey Reparations Council. This report details historical wealth disparities stemming from slavery, which ended in New Jersey approximately 160 years ago.
According to the bill, the state's 2008 symbolic apology for slavery was an insufficient start, and New Jersey must now move "from symbolism to an apology that leads to accountability. From history to repair."
The report, "The Nowness of Reparations for Black People in New Jersey," suggests that the state was profoundly shaped by slavery and advocates for transformative policy changes. It proposes reparations for all Black New Jersey residents, aiming to close an alleged $642,800 household racial wealth gap. The report includes a wide range of potential policy changes.
Among the "remedies" outlined in the report are the creation of a Reparations Bureau, restoring voting rights to incarcerated individuals, expanding access to free healthcare for all adults, children, and immigrants regardless of status, ending cooperation with federal deportations, and establishing a guaranteed income for all state residents. The bill itself does not specify which of these proposals it would adopt, leaving open the possibility for various policy changes.
The legislation aims to rectify the lingering consequences of slavery and Jim Crow laws, prevent future human rights violations, and foster a state where Black people can flourish. New Jersey was the last northern state to abolish slavery, ratifying the Thirteenth Amendment in 1866.
The New Jersey Reparations Council is a private research initiative founded by the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. As of the introduction of the bill, it had not yet had a hearing. State Sen. McKnight and Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson did not respond to requests for comment. IMAGE1: A man holds a cardboard sign that reads, "A DEBT IS OWED: REPARATIONS + LAND BACK" at a Juneteenth reparations rally.