ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland lawmakers passed a bill to study the impact of slavery in Maryland and come up with recommendations for reparations.
Lead sponsor of the House bill, Alethia McCaskill, says reparations can come in multiple forms.
"The recommendations could be some type of debt forgiveness, some type of grant for home buying, it could be educational grants or scholarships," said McCaskill.
A bill to study reparations in Maryland came with controversy on the House floor.
"The average Marylander is wondering what the heck are you guys doing in Annapolis and now we have a reparations bill on the floor," said Delegate Matt Morgan.
"Things that were supposed to help us have broken us, this is just an opportunity to study the impact of slavery," said Delegate C.T. Wilson.
In the final week of the legislative session, it passed.
Reparations study commission awaits Governor Moore's signature
The commission will be created this summer and has a deadline to get recommendations to the legislature.
"It'll be then when additional tough conversations will need to be had on whether we accept those recommendations or what we do," said McCaskill.
Then, lawmakers hold the decision making power.
As of now Governor Wes Moore has not explicitly said he will sign the bill into law.
He could let it become law without his signature.
This was the governor on Sine Die.
"The legacy of slavery is something that is still very real," said Moore.
Brittany Marshall with his office released a statement saying, "The governor has and will continue to work tirelessly to uplift communities disproportionately impacted by the history of slavery in this state."
The governor has until May 27 to sign the bills into law or let them become law without his signature.
