By Nick Reisman Albany/Capital Region PUBLISHED 7:48 AM ET Jun. 07, 2023 PUBLISHED 7:48 AM EDT Jun. 07, 2023

New York state lawmakers in the coming days are poised to approve a commission that would study “remedies and reparations” from slavery.

The measure, a revised version of which has gathered steam in the final days of the legislative session, is revised version of a similar measure creating a reparations commission.

Califronia lawmakers approved a similar commission, which issued its own findings earlier this year, on the issue. The Caifornia commission backed $500 billion in recommended payments to address that state’s role in slavery.

If approved, the commission would provide recommendations that are meant to “reverse such injuries” resulting from New York state’s role in the slave trade. Its work could start as early as next January.

The first slaves are believed to have arrived in New York around 1627. New York gradually outlawed slavery through a generation-long abolition that took effect in 1827.

The commission would also be tasked with assessing the feasibility of a creation of a bureau to assist in the “distribution and administration of remedies and reparations” according to a legislative memorandum.

Sen. James Sanders and Assemblymember Michaelle Solages want to take a broad view of the generations-spanning effect of slavery in New York.

“Unlike the original version of the bill, the amended version now details long-standing generational impacts of slavery on African-Americans in New York including legal battles to secure basic civil rights for African-Americans, New York State’s history of segregation, housing discrimination and redlining, unequal pay, voter suppression, and police bias and brutality,” the bill sponsors wrote.