Slavery: corporate disclosures

The law creates a public record of companies’ historical involvement in slavery-related transactions and makes disclosure a condition for certain state contracts. Its requirements take effect only after the Legislature appropriates funding.

What the law does ​

• Requires businesses operating in California with more than $100 million in worldwide annual receipts, existing directly or through a predecessor by December 31, 1964, to search their and related entities’ records for slavery-related activity.
• Requires covered businesses to submit sworn affidavits identifying relevant records, including names of enslaved people and slaveholders, transactions, insurance, loans, collateral, and other facilitation of slavery or the slave trade.
• Requires updated affidavits when covered businesses discover new reportable information.
• Directs the Civil Rights Department to create a public digital database, publish affidavits and records, preserve them indefinitely, and report annually to the Legislature.
• Requires covered businesses seeking or renewing state contracts worth $100,000 or more to certify that they submitted the required affidavit.

Who it affects ​

• Large businesses and enterprises operating in California whose company or predecessor existed on or before December 31, 1964.
• Parent companies, subsidiaries operating in California, and predecessor entities whose records may be searched.
• Covered businesses bidding for, entering, or renewing qualifying contracts with state agencies.
• The Civil Rights Department.

Context ​

An insurer may use slavery-era documentation it previously submitted to the Department of Insurance as part of its affidavit.