Maryland reparations bill advances, Gov. Wes Moore dodges questions on whether he supports the measure

A Maryland bill to establish a commission to study reparations – including financial restitution – is moving forward, as it is expected to clear its final hurdle in the House of Delegates, while the governor attempts to dodge questions about whether he supports the proposal.

The bill, a priority for the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, passed the Senate in the middle of last month before Crossover Day, which marks the unofficial deadline for legislative leaders in the General Assembly to move bills to the other legislative chamber that they plan to send to the governor for final approval.

The bill received a favorable vote in its assigned House committee on Friday, WBFF reported. It is expected to be voted on in the full House before the legislative session adjourns next week.

Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready, a Republican, told WBFF he does not understand why the reparations bill is being advanced as the state faces a $3.3 billion deficit, which is expected to increase even more to $6.7 billion by fiscal year 2028.

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“We don’t have the money right now to be exploring these options, period,” Ready told the outlet. “[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.”

“I question whether using taxpayer money would ever be appropriate in this context,” he added. “Even going back to when reparations were paid to survivors of the Holocaust, they went after companies that were involved. Not after taxpayers.”

The proposed commission is expected to initially cost Maryland taxpayers $54,500 annually, according to the nonpartisan Maryland Department of Legislative Services.

Similar reparations commissions have been created by state governments in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York and Illinois.

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Last year, the California Reparations Task Force released a report following a two-year study in which the state was called on to issue a formal apology for slavery and other racial injustices and to offer financial payouts. The report recommended a financial restitution formula that would provide eligible recipients with up to $1.2 million each, although state lawmakers have not yet held a vote to authorize the first payments.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has dodged questions about his state’s bill since it was introduced in January. He was asked at the time if he supported the measure, but turned his focus to economic priorities.

“Nah, we are going to work with the Maryland General Assembly on a whole collection of different issues,” Moore told WBFF at the time. “Our focus is economic advancement; our focus is economic growth. It’s making sure we can really meet people where they are, make life more affordable. That we are modernizing of state government.”

The governor was asked again about the issue during his visit to celebrate the Baltimore Orioles’ home opener on Monday afternoon at Pickles Pub. WBFF attempted to speak with him, but the requests were denied. The outlet reached out to the governor’s office after his appearance at the pub, but his spokesperson’s response did not address the questions about the reparations bill.

Ready told WBFF that the bill could harm the national attention Moore has received over the past year.

“I don’t think Gov. Moore would want this on his desk because I think it is a distraction to trying to get real problems solved,” Ready said. “[T]here may be some people it motivates, in some way, but a lot of those are kind of on the fringes.”

If the law is enacted in its current form, the commission must provide its preliminary report by January 1, 2027, and a final report by November 1, 2027.