Last week, the Oregon state legislature held hearings on two senate bill that would have the state study paying reparations to “African-American Oregonians who can trace their ancestry to slavery”.
"Senate Bills 618 and 619 establish a state reparation study framework. The study should be completed by September 2022. The work includes requiring people to show that they are descended from an enslaved person."
SB 619 directs the state’s Department of Revenue to establish “a program to pay reparations to Black Oregonians who can demonstrate heritage in slavery and who submit an application to the department no later than December 31, 2022.
(2) A person is eligible for reparations under this section if the person demonstrates that the person: (a) Is descended from an American slave; (b) Has identified as African-American on legal documents for at least 10 years before the date of the application; (c) Is at least 18 years of age, an emancipated minor or a ward, as defined in ORS 419A.004, whose parents are deceased or for whom parental rights have been terminated and have not been reinstated; and (d) Has resided in Oregon for at least two years before the date of the application.
The department would pay the amount of $123,000 in the form of an annuity payable annually for the life of the applicant.
According to the Daily Wire, Republicans estimate that the plan will would cost the state around $11.8 trillion.
In addition, the report “Oregon Republicans fear that the legislation will cause an influx of people to move to the state in hopes of getting in on a second round of reparations. They believe that this would be a burden on Oregonian taxpayers.”