HB 1696: A Dangerous Step Toward Racial Division

Washington’s HB 1696, signed into law on April 22, 2025, offers forgivable housing loans to “black, indigenous, and people of color,” explicitly excluding those of Asian and European descent.

This race-based policy is a clear violation of federal laws like the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibit racial discrimination in housing and credit. It also likely fails the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, as its broad exclusions are not narrowly tailored to remedy past redlining, ignoring individual circumstances and race-neutral alternatives.

This bill sets a perilous precedent, echoing South Africa’s troubled history with race laws. According to racelaw.co.za, South Africa still grapples with 142 laws that continues to entrench racial divisions, with only nine deracialised since their adoption. These laws, spanning over 31, continue to fuel systemic inequality, social unrest, and economic disparity, leaving scars that persist today.

HB 1696 risks a similar slippery slope—introducing state-sanctioned discrimination under the guise of equity, sowing division, and inviting legal chaos as excluded groups challenge their unfair treatment.Equality, not racial favoritism, is the bedrock of a just society. HB 1696 undermines this principle, fostering resentment and eroding trust across communities.

The U.S. must learn from South Africa’s cautionary tale: race-based laws deepen societal fractures, perpetuate discrimination, and destabilize governance.

Instead, policies should prioritize socioeconomic need or geographic disadvantage, ensuring fairness without racial bias.

Washington must repeal HB 1696 and pursue inclusive solutions that unite rather than divide.

Protecting equality is imperative to prevent the chaos of racialized governance and to build a future where opportunity is truly colorblind.

That doesn't sound constitutional.
Federal laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information.
The Supremacy Clause:

Article VI, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution, known as the Supremacy Clause,…

— Meadow Grove (@1MeadowGrove) April 30, 2025