Congressman Carson Votes to Pass Sweeping Police Reform Bill

Press Release

Today, Congressman André Carson voted in favor of H.R. 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed the House of Representatives. This bold, transformative legislation reimagines the culture of policing in America with unprecedented reforms to curb police brutality, end racial profiling, eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement and build greater trust between law enforcement and our communities.

"Hoosiers are grieving the countless loved ones we have lost to police brutality and racism, and are demanding change," said Rep. Carson. "The House's passage of the Justice in Policing Act is a bold step towards much-needed reforms, with provisions that address systemic racism and help save Black lives while increasing transparency to ensure police are held accountable. As a former law enforcement officer, I know this bill will make a positive difference. I am pleased that it also includes many of the recommendations I've made over a number of years -- especially requiring body cameras and dash cams."

This sweeping legislation will take numerous key steps to achieve transformative, structural change to combat the pattern of police brutality and racial injustice, including:

Banning all chokeholds;
Banning no-knock warrants in drug cases;
Ending racial, religious and discriminatory profiling;
Eliminating the qualified immunity doctrine that is a barrier to holding police officers accountable for wrongful conduct;
Establishing a National Police Misconduct Registry to improve transparency and prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave one agency, from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability;
Requiring data collection, including mandatory body cameras and dashboard cameras;
Establishing new standards for policing and the Public Safety Innovation grants for community-based organizations to help reimagine policing in their communities; and more.
"I also want to thank the passionate advocacy of Hoosiers and people across America, as well as the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus, and a host of civil rights organizations, for helping to create this strong and effective legislation. I believe it represents a turning point in our march towards justice."

"As someone who was unjustly arrested at a young age, I understand the urgent need to reconstruct policing to better connect law enforcement to the communities they serve," said Rep. Carson. "The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will help achieve this goal, but there's still much more work to be done at the local, state and federal level. I urge the Senate to put politics aside and pass this legislation, and I pledge to continue working hard to ensure our justice system reflects the fundamental truth that Black Lives Matter."

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