Butterfield Votes to Pass George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield voted to pass H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bold, transformative legislation reimagines the culture of policing in America with reforms to curb police brutality, end racial profiling, eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement, and build greater trust between law enforcement and our communities.

'Last summer, North Carolinians and all Americans were forced to reckon with the horrors of police brutality and racial injustice after witnessing the murder of George Floyd. Led by the Congressional Black Caucus, the U.S. House of Representatives has once again passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill will deliver urgently needed reforms to address systemic racism in policing and increase transparency and accountability.'

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act 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;
• Making lynching a federal hate crime; and more.

'I stand with countless North Carolinians to proclaim that Black Lives Matter and that the tragic killing of George Floyd must result in action to honor his life,' continued Butterfield. 'I remain committed to working with the Biden-Harris Administration and the millions of Americans demanding action. We will not stop working until the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act becomes law.'

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