George Floyd Justice In Policing Act: What To Know

MINNEAPOLIS — Following the guilty murder conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in George Floyd's death, activists have turned their attention to lawmakers to pass police reform legislation at state and federal levels.

Chief among the proposed measures is the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a bill in Congress that was already passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in March.

"In my conversations with the Floyd family — and I spoke with them again today — I assured them that we’re going to continue to fight for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act so we can — I can sign it into law as quickly as possible," President Joe Biden said in a news conference Tuesday night following the guilty verdict in Chauvin's case.

What's in the bill

Among the provisions in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act are:

• Establish a national police misconduct registry overseen by the Department of Justice, documenting complaints filed against police officers
• The banning of no-knock warrants in federal drug cases
• Make it easier to prosecute police for misconduct by lowering the legal standard from "willfulness" to "recklessness"
• Ending "qualified immunity" for police officers
• Incentivize state and local governments to ban chokeholds
• Ending racial and religious profiling

The bill, which is supported by the White House, would need 60 votes to pass the Senate.

"Last summer, together with Senator Cory Booker and Representative Karen Bass, I introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act," said Vice President Kamala Harris.

"This bill would hold law enforcement accountable and help build trust between law enforcement and our communities. This bill is part of George Floyd’s legacy."

Read the full bill here.