Massachusetts legislature approves major police reform bill in aftermath of George Floyd killing News
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Massachusetts legislature approves major police reform bill in aftermath of George Floyd killing

Massachusetts lawmakers have approved a police reform bill that aims to increase police accountability, restricts no-knock warrants and bans chokeholds. Massachusetts leaders say this is the most thorough reform package in the nation in the wake of the national movement to address racial justice and police reform after George Floyd’s death.

The bill passed Tuesday by the General Court launches various initiatives, notably a new civilian-led commission that will be able to certify or decertify officers while overseeing investigations of any alleged misconduct. The commission has the power to restrict, revoke, or suspend certification of not only individual officers, but entire agencies and academies that are not being found to meet the commission’s requirements for police conduct.

The legislation falls short of fully limiting “qualified immunity”  for certified officers.  The commission can, however, decertify an officer for violating a person’s rights. Once decertified the record of this will be maintained in a public database. If placed on this list the act lets the public know that officers have “violated a person’s rights” and will now not be given qualified immunity. The new legislation also incorporates a new facial recognition and biometric surveillance system.

Police unions strenuously opposed the bill but the House voted 92-67 in its favor and the Senate voted 28-12. This bill’s next step will be approval by the Governor. There is some question on if he will try to veto the bill after eluding to public safety concerns.

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