In November, Californian voters will have the opportunity to decide whether or not to eliminate the exemption for involuntary servitude from the state constitution, following the recent approval of a proposal by the state Legislature. This method was previously used by Alabama voters back in 2022 to abolish slavery. Remarkably, the Alabama Public Radio’s documentary, “No Stone Unturned: Preserving Slave Cemeteries in Alabama,” was honored with an international “Gabriel” award, a national “Edward R. Murrow” award, and a national “Salute to Excellence” award from the National Association of Black Journalists, just as the polls opened. Alabama’s anti-slavery amendment also addressed involuntary servitude among prison inmates at that time.
In several states, including California, involuntary servitude is prohibited by the state constitution, except as a penalty for committing a crime. However, a proposed amendment aims to alter the constitution’s language to explicitly ban “slavery and involuntary servitude.” Supporters of the amendment are seeking to eliminate the use of compulsory prison labor, in which incarcerated individuals are frequently paid less than $1 hourly to perform tasks such as firefighting, cleaning prison facilities, and maintaining cemetery grounds.
Democratic Assemblymember Lori Wilson, who authored the proposal, stated that incarcerated individuals should not be exploited and stripped of agency when it comes to work. She emphasized the importance of restoring dignity and humanity for these often-forgotten individuals behind bars. Wilson urged for prioritizing rehabilitative services to help them reintegrate into society successfully.
After a clear majority in the Senate, the proposed constitutional amendment has been passed with only a few Republicans dissenting. The state Assembly has promptly granted the final approval in the Legislature, signifying that the amendment will now be put forward to the voters for their verdict.
As a step towards atonement and offering redress for a history of racism and discrimination against Black Californians, the California Legislative Black Caucus has introduced a package of reparations bills. The proposal is one of the bills in the package that was announced by lawmakers earlier this year.
According to Senator Steven Bradford, a Democratic representative from the Los Angeles area, California has a history of involuntary servitude that persists to this day. This is particularly evident in the prison system, where incarcerated individuals are frequently coerced into working, and may face punishment if they refuse.
He stated that we have the chance to move forward in the right direction towards putting an end to that legacy.
In 2022, a proposal similar to this was rejected by the state Senate. The administration of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom was against this measure, cautioning that if the state had to pay incarcerated individuals a $15 hourly minimum wage, it could lead to a considerable burden on taxpayers, potentially costing them billions of dollars.
In recent years, several states including Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont have made amendments to their constitutions to eliminate exceptions for slavery and involuntary servitude, following in the footsteps of Alabama.
The 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution includes an exception similar to California’s for slavery and involuntary servitude, allowing it as a “punishment for crime” if the individual has been “duly convicted.” However, Democrats in Congress have been unsuccessful in their attempts to eliminate this exemption in recent years.
According to State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, who is a Democrat and represents Culver City near Los Angeles, the proposed reform in California is long overdue. She firmly believes that it is unacceptable for incarcerated individuals to be subjected to such low pay while working.
According to her, the statement undermines the capacity of every individual to earn a fair wage in California. Furthermore, it normalizes the act of exploiting others, which is unacceptable as it promotes indignity and inhumanity towards fellow human beings.
