CULPEPER STAR-EXPONENT

U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, on Wednesday night voted in support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

The legislation intends to address issues of systemic racism in law enforcement, protect funding for community policing initiatives, and increase accountability in U.S. police departments, according to a release from the congresswoman’s office.

In June 2020, Spanberger, a former federal law enforcement officer, cosponsored and voted to pass the initial version of the George Floyd Justice Policing Act the wake of the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

“Throughout our history, countless Black brothers, sisters, spouses, parents, and friends have been killed at the hands of a senseless status quo. The murder of George Floyd last year captured—on video for the entire world to see—this pattern of injustices perpetrated against members of our Black communities. In response, the House took a major step in renewing the fight to achieve the promise of equal justice under the law for every American,” Spanberger said in a statement.

“The reintroduction of this legislation provides another opportunity for Congress to help rebuild policing in a way that reduces discrimination, confronts a history marked by systemic racism, and engages with local law enforcement officials in a productive and meaningful way.”

The bill will also mandate state and local law enforcement agencies report use of force data, disaggregated by race, sex, disability, religion, and age; limit the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement; require state and local law enforcement to use existing federal funds to ensure the use of police body cameras; require federal uniformed police officers to wear body cameras and reform qualified immunity.

U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, is leading The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the House.