Congressman Panetta Votes to Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Press Release

Today, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) voted in support of the House passage of H.R.1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill will better hold law enforcement officials accountable for misconduct, bolster transparency through data collection pertaining to unlawful behavior and negligent use of force, and improve police training and department policies nationwide.

"While there is no one piece of legislation that will automatically correct past abuses and racial inequality, today's passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is a major step forward for the necessary reforms in our system of policing," said Congressman Panetta. "As someone who fought for justice for nearly 20 years in our criminal courts system, I was honored to work with Congresswoman Bass and become an original cosponsor of the legislation. As people continue to peacefully take to the streets to call for change, the United States Congress will continue to live up to our obligation to ensure that law enforcement lives up to its role to sustain and support all of our communities."

The Justice in Policing Act includes the following provisions:

Improved Police Training and Practices

Combats racial and religious profiling
Mandates training on racial bias and the duty to intervene
Bans no-knock warrants in drug cases
Bans chokeholds and carotid holds
Amends use of force standards
Limits the transfer of federal military equipment to state and local law enforcement
Requires all federal law enforcement officers to properly use police body camera
Law Enforcement Accountability

Improves federal investigations into pattern and practice of excessive force and provides resources for state attorneys general to conduct such investigations
Creates a National Police Misconduct Registry to prevent officers from changing jurisdictions to avoid accountability
Broadens the type of police misconduct that can be criminally prosecuted and reforms qualified immunity
Mandates state and local law enforcement agencies report use of force data, disaggregated by race, sex, disability, religion, and age

Source