Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle are calling for police reform legislation in wake of Tyre Nichols' death.
Several leaders on Capitol Hill this week called on Congress to revive bipartisan talks to pass police reform legislation.
One bill on Democrats' mind? The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which Democrats first introduced in 2020. (Vox)
The bill last passed the House in 2021, but failed in the Senate after Republicans launched a filibuster. (Vox)
What would the bill do? (AP) ⚖️Ban police chokeholds ⚖️Ban no-knock warrants ⚖️Eliminate qualified immunity for police
Republicans near-unanimously voted against the bill in both chambers, opposing its ban of qualified immunity. (Vox)
Are there any GOP proposals for police reform? Some Republicans have endorsed Sen. Tim Scott's Justice Act. (Vox)
What would Scott's bill do? (AP) ⚖️Create police "supervisory boards" ⚖️Increase racial bias training ⚖️Fund local grants
Will Scott's bill pass? Not likely: Democrats are opposed to any bill that doesn't hold individual officers liable.
So, what now? Some leaders have called for a piecemeal approach, specifically passing a bill to end qualified immunity.
What is qualified immunity? Per Vox, qualified immunity is a legal precedent that shields police officers from lawsuits.
What does that mean? It means that under qualified immunity, police officers can't be held liable for their actions.
Is there a bill to end qualified immunity? In 2020, Rep. Ayanna Pressley introduced the Ending Qualified Immunity Act.
Pressley's bill, introduced with then-Libertarian Rep. Justin Amash, had 66 cosponsors in 2020, with 1 GOP sponsor.