U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) have joined forces with Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to reintroduce the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2024. This significant legislation, first introduced in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, seeks to reform law enforcement practices and enhance police accountability across the United States.
The Act aims to hold police accountable by amending the mens rea requirement for prosecuting police misconduct, reforming qualified immunity, and enhancing federal investigation powers. It also emphasizes transparency by mandating accurate data collection on police misconduct and use of force, incentivizing police departments to report to national databases, and requiring the disclosure of use-of-force data disaggregated by race, sex, disability, religion, and age.
Further, the legislation seeks to improve police training and practices by ending racial and religious profiling, mandating training on racial bias, banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants in drug cases, and requiring the use of body cameras. Additionally, it aims to reduce negative police interactions by funding programs that incorporate mental health professionals and establishing unarmed civilian departments to enforce traffic violations.
Senator Durbin highlighted the urgency of this legislation, referencing the recent police killing of Sonya Massey in Illinois, and urging bipartisan support to create safer communities. Duckworth emphasized the need for justice for families affected by police violence. The reintroduction of this Act underscores the ongoing demand for substantial police reform and accountability in the United States.
