A bill introduced by state Rep. Daniel Nguyen, D-Lake Oswego, that would make it easier for property owners to have racist language removed from property deeds and other documents is one step closer to passage.

After the bill underwent a hearing in March, the House Judiciary Committee approved it for a floor vote with a do-pass recommendation Tuesday, April 4.

The idea for the bill was sparked when Lake Oswego High School history teacher Gerrit Koepping tried to have racially exclusionary language removed but found that there wasn’t much of an existing process to make it happen. Though unenforceable due to the Fair Housing Act, the language often stated that Black, Chinese and Japanese Americans were not allowed to own property or stay there except as a servant.

House Bill 3294 would essentially allow for a property owner to apply for the removal of racist property documents, replacing them with versions that do not include racist or other discriminatory language. The original property document would then be preserved by the state for archival purposes.

When the bill was initially introduced, the Oregon Association of County Clerks submitted testimony raising concerns about the amount of work and cost the bill could impose. After that, Nguyen’s office worked with the association and title companies and the bill was altered to make the process more seamless. The association’s concerns seemed to have been satisfied.

“This is very technical, very detailed, so we wanted to get it right and create the minimum fiscal impact and we think we did that,” said Rob Bovett, who serves as counsel for the association.

Before the vote, Rep. Lily Morgan, R-Grants Pass, said she appreciated the effort that was made to tweak the bill to make it easier for the clerks.

“I appreciate that this can be righted and the efforts, and so I want to acknowledge that it’s needed and I’m glad they found a solution,” she said.