Criminal Justice (Policing)

in committee · United States · House Apr 8, 2025

HR 2718: Family Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act of 2025

This bill requires all detention agencies (jails, prisons, police custody) to establish mandatory policies for notifying families when an individual dies, is seriously injured, or becomes seriously ill while in custody. It mandates that agencies collect emergency contact information at the time of intake, notify families within 12 hours of death or 48 hours of serious illness/injury (between 6 a.m. and midnight), and provide specific details about the incident. Families must receive information on cause of death, medical treatment, and autopsy results, with options for compassionate in-person communication. The bill ensures contact information collection is voluntary, prohibits coercion, and requires agencies to document all notification attempts in the individual’s official file.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates transparency in custody incidents, enhancing accountability for detention agencies and aligning with criminal justice reform principles of oversight and family rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Policing Victims' Rights

Track

in committee · United States · House May 23, 2025

HR 3602: Ending Qualified Immunity Act

This bill amends federal law (Section 1983) to eliminate qualified immunity as a defense in civil rights lawsuits. It would prevent government officials from avoiding liability by claiming they acted in good faith, believed their actions were lawful, or didn't know a right was clearly established at the time. This directly affects individuals who sue police, law enforcement, or other officials for violating constitutional rights. The change would apply to lawsuits filed after the bill's enactment, requiring officials to face liability under the original standard of Section 1983.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEliminates qualified immunity, increasing police accountability in civil rights lawsuits per Section 1983 amendment95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement Policing Tags Civil Liberties

Track

passed · United States · Senate Jun 15, 2026

S 1890: Carla Walker Act

The Carla Walker Act establishes two competitive grant programs to fund forensic DNA analysis and equipment for public law enforcement and medical examiner offices. It provides $5 million annually (2025-2029) for eligible entities like state police, prosecutors' offices, medical examiners, and coroners to purchase equipment or conduct whole-genome sequencing (testing 100,000+ genetic markers) to solve cold cases or identify unknown remains when standard DNA databases fail. Grants cannot cover staffing, travel, or general equipment but require compliance with DOJ’s 2019 forensic genealogy policy and mandate detailed annual reports on case outcomes. The law aims to improve investigative capabilities through specialized forensic genetic genealogy while maintaining strict oversight and reporting requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds forensic DNA analysis to solve cold cases, directly supporting law enforcement within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 3625: Qualified Immunity Abolition Act of 2026

This bill would remove "qualified immunity" as a legal defense for law enforcement officers in civil rights lawsuits. It amends federal law (42 U.S.C. 1983) to eliminate four specific excuses officers can currently use, including claiming they reasonably believed their actions were lawful or that constitutional rights weren't clearly established. The change applies to all lawsuits filed after enactment against federal, state, or local police officers who acted under official authority. This means officers could face civil liability for constitutional violations even if they thought their conduct was lawful at the time.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves qualified immunity, increasing police accountability in civil rights lawsuits - directly advancing criminal justice reform through enhanced oversight and protection of civil rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement Policing Tags Civil Liberties

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Nov 18, 2025

S 3186: Constitutional Accountability Act

The Constitutional Accountability Act (S 3186) amends Section 1983 to expand liability for constitutional violations by law enforcement. It directly affects state/local governments, police departments, and federal entities by removing barriers that currently limit their accountability for officers' actions. Key provisions require municipalities to be held liable for constitutional violations by their officers (similar to private employers under "respondeat superior"), eliminate sovereign immunity for states under the 14th Amendment, and clarify that federal entities waive sovereign immunity. This change aims to strengthen enforcement of constitutional rights by making oversight mechanisms more consistent and accessible to victims.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands law enforcement accountability by removing sovereign immunity and requiring municipal liability for constitutional violations, directly advancing criminal justice reform through enhanced oversight and civil rights protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Tags Civil Liberties

Track

in committee · United States · House May 29, 2025

HR 3651: Protecting Our Protesters Act of 2025

This bill amends federal law to clarify that law enforcement officers violating protesters' civil rights - including using excessive force during protest responses - can be prosecuted under Section 242 of Title 18. It directly affects law enforcement officers and protesters by explicitly including protest-related force in the definition of "deprivation of rights under color of law." The key provision adds "including the use of force during a response to a protest" to the statute, making it clearer that such actions violate federal civil rights protections. This changes how existing civil rights laws apply to protest scenarios, without altering penalties or creating new requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends federal law to prosecute officers using excessive force during protests, enhancing police accountability and protecting civil rights - core criminal justice reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement Policing Tags Civil Liberties

Track

in committee · United States · House May 14, 2025

HR 3408: Pathways to Policing Act

HR 3408, the Pathways to Policing Act, authorizes $50 million annually from 2026 to 2030 to fund grant programs aimed at increasing diversity in law enforcement. It provides grants to states, local governments, and police agencies to support two key areas: up to 50% of funds for marketing/recruitment campaigns targeting underrepresented communities and nontraditional candidates, and up to 50% for "Pathways to Policing" programs that help new candidates overcome education barriers through financial support during training. These programs specifically assist individuals with no prior law enforcement experience who face obstacles to entering the field. The bill also directs the federal government to create nationwide recruitment campaigns and resources for local agencies, with a focus on recruiting officers who live in or will serve the communities they protect.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds diversity initiatives in policing via $50M grants, directly advancing criminal justice reform by increasing representation and addressing systemic barriers in law enforcement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

Track

passed · United States · Senate Oct 7, 2025

SRES 441: A resolution designating the week of October 5, 2025, through October 11, 2025, as "National Community Policing Week".

This resolution designates the week of October 5-11, 2025, as "National Community Policing Week" to recognize the role of community policing in building trust between law enforcement and communities. It does not create new laws or allocate funds; instead, it formally acknowledges community policing as a strategy for improving public safety and relationships. The resolution encourages communities, law enforcement agencies, and officials to focus on strengthening trust and collaboration through community policing efforts. It is a symbolic gesture with no direct impact on policy or affected individuals.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePromotes community policing to build trust between law enforcement and communities, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of enhancing police accountability and public safety collaboration.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

Track

in committee · United States · House Feb 11, 2025

HR 1188: Police CAMERA Act of 2025

HR 1188 establishes a federal grant program to help state and local law enforcement agencies purchase body-worn cameras and implement camera programs. To qualify for funding, agencies must adopt public policies on camera use, secure data storage, privacy protections, and strict limits on facial recognition technology (requiring judicial authorization for its use). The bill mandates collecting and reporting demographic data on use-of-force incidents (by race, gender, etc.) and prohibits sharing footage without legal justification. It allocates $30 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2028, with requirements for public policy access, data security, and annual reporting to the federal government.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes federal grant program for law enforcement camera programs, directly increasing government spending on public safety initiatives.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates body cameras, demographic use-of-force data, and limits facial recognition to enhance police accountability and transparency in law enforcement practices.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill explicitly imposes strict limits on facial recognition technology use, requiring judicial authorization and prioritizing privacy protections over unrestricted tech deployment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Consumer Data Protection Emerging Technology

Track

in committee · United States · Senate May 20, 2025

S 1316: Strong Communities Act of 2025

The Strong Communities Act of 2025 creates a new federal grant program to fund law enforcement training for officers and recruits. Local police departments and sheriff's offices can receive grants to send officers to training programs at eligible colleges or police departments, with the requirement that officers serve at least 4 years in their local community after training. To qualify, officers must live within specific distances (7 or 20 miles) of their long-term residence (5+ years) and provide proof of employment. The program requires annual reports to Congress detailing grant recipients, training participants, and retention rates.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates federal grants for law enforcement training, directly funding officer development to strengthen community policing efforts within criminal justice system.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

Track