The California Senate Judiciary Committee has greenlit legislation aimed at establishing a new cabinet-level agency, the California American Freedman Affairs Agency, charged with executing the fantastical recommendations put forth by the state’s reparation task force.

Under this proposed legislation, the agency, to be overseen by a secretary appointed by the governor, would include the creation of a Genealogy Office, The Post Millennial reports.

This office would play a pivotal role in assisting reparations claimants by offering access to expert genealogical research to verify eligibility and streamline the reparations claims process, potentially offering up to $1.2 million to eligible individuals to redress the injustices against their ancestors, as reported by Just The News.

Initially, reparations were limited to “descendants of a free Black person living in the United States prior to the end of the 19th century.” However, recent amendments broadened eligibility to include all “descendants of an African American chattel enslaved person in the United States,” irrespective of their racial makeup.

Critics, including the National African American Reparations Commission, raised concerns about the potential for white individuals to claim a significant portion of reparations, citing genetic studies indicating African ancestry among a percentage of white Americans.

Additionally, SB 1403 would establish an Office of Legal Affairs to ensure the agency’s programs adhere to legislative authority.

Introduced by Democratic state Senator Steven Bradford, the bill passed the committee with an 8-1 vote, with the sole dissenting vote from a Republican member, while another was absent.