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★Reparations Station
Seal of the State of Washington

Washington

Study Funded May 2025
Final Report Due June 2027
★ Just Published
Preliminary Report
★ Have Your Say
Community Interest Form
★ September 11, 2026 · 12:00–12:30pm
Register: Community Meeting
★ Official Study Page
WA Dept. of Commerce

In 2025, the Washington State Legislature funded the Charles Mitchell and George Washington Bush Study on Reparative Action for Washington State's Descendants of Victims of United States Chattel Slavery. Truclusion is the firm contracted by Washington State to conduct the study on reparative action.

★ The Study
Reparative Action Study
The Body
Named for Charles Mitchell and George Washington Bush, two of Washington's earliest known Black settlers, the study examines historical injustices of U.S. chattel slavery and their enduring impact on direct descendants.
The Contractor
Truclusion, LLC — a Dupont, WA-based firm majority-owned and managed by BIPOC women — was selected through a competitive RFP and officially contracted on January 22, 2026.
The Scope
Research centers on the former Washington and Oregon territories, examining effects on descendants in economics, education, and criminal justice using the Healthy People 2030 social determinants framework.
★ Funding & Oversight
How It's Funded
No Standalone Bill
The study wasn't created by a named policy bill. It was funded through a $300,000 proviso in the 2025–2027 state operating budget (ESSB 5167), signed by Governor Bob Ferguson on May 20, 2025.
Administered By
The Washington State Department of Commerce, in coordination with the Commission on African American Affairs, which consults on the project and took part in evaluating bids.
Reports Required
Three reports to the Legislature: preliminary (delivered June 2026), interim (due December 2026), and a final report with policy recommendations (due June 2027).
★ Reparative Action Study — Running Timeline
Upcoming, then newest first
★ Upcoming
September 11, 2026 · 12:00–12:30pm
Next Community Informational Meeting
A public briefing on the study's progress, open to all Washingtonians. Registration is required to join by Zoom.
Register for the meeting →
December 31, 2026
Interim Report Due
The second of three legally required reports to the Legislature, expected to build on the preliminary findings with deeper research and continued community input.
Source: WA Dept. of Commerce →
June 2027
Final Report & Recommendations Due
The third and final required report, expected to deliver specific, evidence-based policy recommendations for state-level reparative action.
Source: WA Dept. of Commerce →
★ Past Events
June 29, 2026
Preliminary Report Published
Truclusion's first of three required reports outlined researcher qualifications, study scope, methodology, and the plan for community engagement — laying the groundwork for the deeper research to come.
Source: WA Dept. of Commerce →
January 22, 2026
Truclusion Officially Contracted
Following a competitive RFP process and a protest period, Commerce finalized its contract with Truclusion, LLC to conduct the study — a team including PhD-level researchers and a genealogist with reparations experience.
Source: WA Dept. of Commerce →
Late November 2025
Truclusion Named Apparent Successful Bidder
Commerce named Truclusion the apparent successful bidder ahead of a final contract award. Community members, including former Rep. Jesse Wineberry and activist Eddie Rye, publicly raised questions about the firm's local ties, subject-matter expertise, and ownership structure — the state noted the designation remained subject to a protest period.
Source: The Seattle Medium →
May 20, 2025
Governor Ferguson Signs the Budget Funding the Study
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the 2025–27 state operating budget, including a $300,000 proviso (ESSB 5167) for the reparations study — making Washington the third U.S. state to fund a study on reparations for descendants of U.S. chattel slavery.
Source: South Seattle Emerald →
★ Note
Washington's study is research first: its explicit mandate is to produce "specific, evidence-based, actionable policy recommendations" for the Legislature by June 2027, not to issue direct payments. No standalone reparations bill exists yet — the study itself was funded as a line item in the state budget, and any future compensation or policy action would require separate legislation once the final report is delivered.
★ Sources & Further Reading