Kaine Introduces Bill To Ban Religious, Racial And Discriminatory Profiling By Law Enforcement

Press Release

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, along with more than two dozen original cosponsors, has introduced an updated version of his legislation to ban discriminatory profiling at all levels of law enforcement nationwide. The End Racial and Religious Profiling Act of 2017 (ERRPA), is designed to enforce the constitutional right to equal protection of laws through changing policies and procedures for law enforcement and promoting best practices in community-based law enforcement.

The End Racial and Religious Profiling Act has been endorsed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Rights Working Group, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) and 150 other national, state, and local civil and legal rights organizations.

"For centuries, discriminatory profiling practices have harmed communities of color. It is not enough to be 'against' racism and racial profiling, we need national leaders to end discriminatory practices," said Jennifer Bellamy, ACLU legislative counsel. "We know that profiling of any kind is ineffective and diverts law enforcement's time, money, and energy away from actual threats. The time is now to end racial profiling once and for all."

Original cosponsors include U.S. Senators Ben Cardin, Tammy Baldwin, Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Sherrod Brown, Maria Cantwell, Chris Coons, Tammy Duckworth, Richard Durbin, Al Franken, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Martin Heinrich, Mazie Hirono, Patrick Leahy, Ed Markey, Bob Menendez, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Patty Murray, Bernie Sanders, Debbie Stabenow, Tom Udall, Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren, and Ron Wyden.

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