Senate Bill to Establish Black Female Task Force

By Cash Michaels

June 2, 2020 1:27AM
Cash Michaels
Cash Michaels

With the NC General Assembly back in session this week, one of the more notable bills filed of particular interest to the African-American community is Senate Bill 775, “Funds/Est. Black Women & Girls Task Force.”

“An act to establish the North Carolina Black Women and Girls Task Force and to appropriate funds for the task force,” the heading says.

Filed on Thursday, May14th by senators Erica D. Smith [Bertie] and Natalie Murdock [Durham], the Task Force shall serve as an advisory committee to study disaggregated findings concerning the well-being of cisgender and transgender Black women and girls in the State. In conducting this examination, the Task Force shall examine the following issues:

- Study the health and wealth disparities of Black women and their impact.

- Review educational justice principals for Black girls and the impact of trauma to learning.

- Research all forms of violence to and on Black women and girls.

- Consider the impact of the criminal and juvenile justice system on Black women and girls, including incarceration of Black women and girls.

- Examine the effect of political advocacy and engagement, employment, and healthcare, especially in the context of disparate impacts of COVID-19, cancer, stress disorders, high blood pressure, maternal morbidity and infant mortality, reproduction, and other disparate health factors.

If established, the NC Black Women and Girls Task Force would be in the NC Dept. of Administration “for budgetary purposes only.”

There would be 13 members, consisting of:

- Nine grassroots-led selected North Carolina advocacy nonprofit organization leaders that serve Black women and/or girls who have an established mission of saving Black women and/or girls within the state for a minimum of two years and appointed by the Secretary of Administration or his or her designee. Two persons who are members of the senate at the time of appointment, at least one of whom represents the minority party, appointed by the President Pro temper of the Senate.

- And two members of the state House.

All members would be appointed for two years.

The act would become effective July 1, 2020.

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