Nationwide, new state qualified immunity (QI) bills are making news.
Here are some of the latest states getting into the ring to combat the troubled doctrine.
Rhode Island
Ban chokeholds. Require body cameras. End qualified immunity. These provisions are part of the Rishod K. Gore Justice in Policing Act of 2021. This bill seeks to usher “once-in-a-generation” police reform in Rhode Island. The package was introduced by state lawmakers Sen. Jonathon Acosta and Rep. José Batista. The Providence Journal reports.
Read the entire article here.
Illinois
The Rockford Register Star reports that Illinois lawmaker Curtis Tarver has introduced HB 1727. Named the Bad Apples in Law Enforcement Accountability Act, this bill would remove qualified immunity for bad cops who violate someone’s rights, opening them up to civil litigation.
Read the entire article here.
Wyoming
A new Wyoming bill proposes to strip qualified immunity from officers who “knowingly” infringe on citizen guns. The Casper Sun Tribune reports that state senator Anthony Bouchard has sponsored Senate File 81. This measure, which passed the Wyoming Senate floor, was introduced as an effort to curb federal restrictions on gun rights.
Read the entire article here.
Maine
Maine State Rep. Jeffrey Evangelos has introduced a bill to end qualified immunity. As the Bangor Daily News notes, Rep. Evangelos’ bill, LD 214, is modeled on the one that passed in Colorado last summer. Called An Act To Eliminate Qualified Immunity for Police Officers, the bill seeks to hold bad cops in Maine accountable for their misconduct.
Read the entire article here.
Oregon
Oregon U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer is on board to help end qualified immunity nationwide. As The Skanner reports, Rep. Blumenauer has joined Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley to cosponsor the reintroduced Ending Qualified Immunity Act. This ambitious bill aims to abolish qualified immunity for all public officials, not just police officers. The Skanner lists the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity among the groups endorsing this legislation.
Read the entire article here.
West Virginia
On March 9, West Virginia. Del. Chris Pritt presented HB 3027, reports the Tenth Amendment Center. Known as the Protecting Everyone’s Constitutional Rights Act, this bill seeks to prohibit qualified immunity as a defense for police officers accused of violating a West Virginian’s rights.
Read the entire article here.
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