Oregon weighs bill allowing victims of racially motivated 911 calls to sue

Oregon is one step closer to passing a measure to crack down on racially motivated 911 calls by allowing victims to sue the callers.

Under the proposal, which was approved overwhelmingly by the state Senate on Monday, victims of such calls would be able to sue the caller for up to $250.

Victims of racially motivated calls have to be able to prove the caller summoned a police officer with “intent to cause specified harm,” according to the bill.{mosads}

The legislation comes after a series of viral incidents showing people, most of them white, calling the police on black people for various everyday activities, such as barbecuing, napping or sitting in Starbucks.

The bill passed the state House in April, according to The Associated Press. It is being spearheaded by three black lawmakers.

One of the bill’s chief sponsors, Rep. Janelle Bynum (D), was canvassing last year for her reelection campaign in the district she represents when she became the subject of a 911 call.

A woman called the authorities, saying Bynum apparently looked “suspicious,” the state representative said. “The officer called her, we talked and she did apologize,” Bynum said after the incident.

After a technical change is signed off on in the House, the bill will head to Gov. Kate Brown’s (D) desk for a signature, according to the AP.