The items below will be addressed at the annual Convention and require a majority vote to adopt.
POSITIONS: The League of Women Voters of New Jersey Board of Directors recommends that the League of Women Voters of New Jersey retain all current positions for the 2023 – 2025 biennium.
PROPOSED RECOMMENDED STUDIES: The League of Women Voters of New Jersey Board of Directors recommends a Reparations Study for adoption at convention. Six Local Leagues Recommend a Reparations Study: Camden County, East Windsor-Hightstown, Fair Lawn, Livingston, Northern Valley, Paterson Reparations: The League of Women Voters of New Jersey is part of a coalition supporting the passage of A938/S387, a bill that establishes “The New Jersey Reparations Task Force to conduct research and develop reparatory proposals and recommendations to address t
he general harms caused by New Jersey’s role in America’s institution of slavery and its legacy of systemic racial discrimination.” If the legislation passes, the task force will have two years to complete its research and make wide-ranging strategic policy recommendations to address NJ’s racial inequities. When these recommendations are issued, there will inevitably be legislation to carry them out. LWVNJ will only be able to support or oppose these recommendations if we ha
ve a position on reparations, which we currently do not have. The scope of the proposed study might include the following:
1. Are reparations an appropriate response to wealth gaps caused by past discriminations?
2. If yes, which groups should be considered for reparations?
3. If reparations are an appropriate response, should reparations be given to individuals or should they take the form of corrections to policies or sys
tems that have contributed to the wealth gap? Should reparative measures address both individuals and systems?
4. If reparations take the form of payments to individuals, what criteria should be used to determine eligibility and from where will the funds be derived? The Program Planning committee recommends that
the board recommend the Reparations study for adoption at Convention.
Non-Recommended Items: Note that these items MAY be addressed at Convention. They require both a majority vote to consider and, if approved for consideration, a two-thirds vote to adopt. To be eligible for consideration as a non-recommended item, it must be proposed and/or seconded by members of at least three different local Leagues, and at least two individuals must have committed to serving on the committee, one of whom agrees to be Chair.
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