Rep. Lawson votes to pass George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
Photo special to the Outlook
Special to the Outlook
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Al Lawson voted to pass H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, transformative legislation to reimagine 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 communities. The 220-212 vote came nine months after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officers.
“Last summer, our state and the nation were rocked by a reckoning around the horrors of police brutality and racial injustice,” said Lawson, who was a co-sponsor of the bill. “Sadly, despite countless Americans from every walk of life peacefully protesting and raising awareness for these crises, the epidemic continues. To honor my responsibility to North Florida families and the American people, I proudly joined my colleagues to once again pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.”
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act will take numerous key steps to achieve transformative, structural change by:
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 remain committed to working with the Biden-Harris Administration and the millions of Americans marching and demanding action,” Lawson said. “We will not stop working until the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act becomes law.”
Additionally in Washington, Lawson voted to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a package that protects and expand voting rights, and puts the needs and priorities of the American people ahead of special interests. The act passed late last night by a vote of 220-210.
“Our country is facing enormous challenges — a raging pandemic, devastating job losses, skyrocketing healthcare costs and voter suppression,” Lawson said. “We must confront these issues head on by strengthening our democracy and advancing the For the People Act. This transformative legislation delivers on our promise to return us to a government of, by and for the people. This reform effort will put an end to decades of dysfunction in politics, return power back to the American people and put us on an inspired path toward a more equitable, just and prosperous future.”
Key provisions of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, include: Expanding automatic voter registration and same day registration; strengthening vote by mail, early voting and ballot access; combating voter intimidation and voter suppression; protecting elections from foreign interference; promoting digital ad transparency; reining in lobbyist influence; enforcing ethics and conflict of interest rules for all government officials; and empowering small donors with matching funds paid for by lawbreakers, not taxpayers.
