{"format":1,"id":"117-hr-1280","congress":117,"number":"H.R. 1280","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct in court, improve transparency through data collection, and reform police training and policies.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct in court, improve transparency through data collection, and reform police training and policies."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"Police Exercising Absolute Care With Everyone Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"Closing the Law Enforcement Consent Loophole Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"Police Reporting Information, Data, and Evidence Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"End Racial and Religious Profiling Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced for portions of this bill","title":"Police Exercising Absolute Care With Everyone Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced for portions of this bill","title":"End Racial and Religious Profiling Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced for portions of this bill","title":"Police Reporting Information, Data, and Evidence Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced for portions of this bill","title":"Closing the Law Enforcement Consent Loophole Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"PEACE Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"Federal Police Camera and Accountability Act"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"Police Creating Accountability by Making Effective Recording Available Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"Police CAMERA Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act of 2021"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"ERRPA"},{"type":"Short Titles as Passed House for portions of this bill","title":"PRIDE Act of 2021"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2021-02-24","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2021-03-03","vote":{"id":"117-2021-h60","question":"On Passage","title":"George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021","result":"Passed","yea":220,"nay":212,"present":0,"not_voting":0,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll060.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate.","date":"2021-03-09"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2021-03-03","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021","result":"Failed","yea":208,"nay":219,"present":0,"not_voting":4,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll059.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2021-03-03","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill addresses a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. It increases accountability for law enforcement misconduct, restricts the use of certain policing practices, enhances transparency and data collection, and establishes best practices and training requirements."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill enhances existing enforcement mechanisms to remedy violations by law enforcement. Among other things, it does the following:"},{"k":"li","t":"lowers the criminal intent standard—from willful to knowing or reckless—to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution,","d":1},{"k":"li","t":"limits qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer, and","d":1},{"k":"li","t":"grants administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in pattern-or-practice investigations.","d":1},{"k":"p","t":"It establishes a framework to prevent and remedy racial profiling by law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels. It also limits the unnecessary use of force and restricts the use of no-knock warrants, chokeholds, and carotid holds."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill creates a national registry—the National Police Misconduct Registry—to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct. It also establishes new reporting requirements, including on the use of force, officer misconduct, and routine policing practices (e.g., stops and searches)."},{"k":"p","t":"Finally, it directs DOJ to create uniform accreditation standards for law enforcement agencies and requires law enforcement officers to complete training on racial profiling, implicit bias, and the duty to intervene when another officer uses excessive force."}],"words":240},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Changes federal law and conditions federal grants to address law enforcement misconduct, to require data collection and reporting on policing, and to set rules on police training, profiling, force, and body cameras.","cites":[{"label":"Title I","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-HC129A15DCD3340C1B093C47A28F35061"},{"label":"Title II","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H5D49B7C67D934471A019B380C6AD0FF1"},{"label":"Title III","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H40B97F83C3A240DCB45BB301BF2F3432"}]},"core_areas":["Civil and criminal liability of law enforcement officers","Pattern-or-practice investigations by the Attorney General and State attorneys general","National Police Misconduct Registry and law enforcement data reporting","Prohibition of racial profiling","Use of force limits, chokeholds, and no-knock warrants","Body cameras and in-car video recording","Transfers of Department of Defense property to law enforcement agencies","Sexual acts by persons acting under color of law"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Amends 18 U.S.C. 242 by replacing \"willfully\" with \"knowingly or recklessly\", removing the death penalty from that section, and treating an act as resulting in death if it was a substantial factor contributing to the death.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H41C37AEA7A7B4B7284A519EABC8B4441"}},{"text":"Amends 42 U.S.C. 1983 so that good faith, a belief that conduct was lawful, or rights not being clearly established cannot be raised as a defense or immunity by local or Federal law enforcement officers.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 102","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H5A0B5A5505624C60B7132DBF904D86E8"}},{"text":"Allows the Attorney General to issue subpoenas in pattern-or-practice investigations, lets State attorneys general bring civil actions, and authorizes $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2024 for State grants for such investigations.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 103","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H512439E35E024115810D812ED77A2850"}},{"text":"Requires the Attorney General to establish a National Police Misconduct Registry within 180 days, containing complaints, discipline, termination, certification, and lawsuit records, and to make it searchable by the public for use of force and racial profiling records.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 201","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-HCC5FCC9152074001AD6315556E7C202D"}},{"text":"Requires States and Indian Tribes receiving Byrne grant funds to report use of force incidents to the Attorney General quarterly, and allows a reduction of not more than 10 percent of their Byrne grant funds for failure to comply.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 223","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H7E4FA31E498F4C52A05590EC7E44F528"}},{"text":"Prohibits law enforcement agents and agencies from engaging in racial profiling, and allows the United States or an injured individual to sue for declaratory or injunctive relief.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 311","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H75F87E975C8949FE86532EBC970B0CE9"}},{"text":"Prohibits Federal law enforcement officers from using less lethal force or deadly force unless set conditions are met, and limits the justification defense in Federal prosecutions under 18 U.S.C. 1111 or 1112.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 364","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H3D088A8838D043D3B5244B3A70675664"}},{"text":"Conditions State and local eligibility for COPS grant funds on having a law that prohibits no-knock warrants in drug cases, and requires Federal drug search warrants to be executed only after notice of authority and purpose.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 362","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-HDC3DC6F04FF540BB9C13FFE5210F88C4"}},{"text":"Bars Byrne and COPS grant funds to a State or unit of local government that has no law prohibiting chokeholds or carotid holds, and amends 18 U.S.C. 242 to treat such holds as a punishment, pain, or penalty.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 363","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-HCF0BB726FFE241ECB8B24F349B76175E"}},{"text":"Requires Federal law enforcement officers to wear body cameras, sets rules for activation, retention, and disclosure of footage, and requires in-car video cameras in Federal patrol vehicles.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 372","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H5AA2BB811DC74392BC9E85D015AFD39F"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 113","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H8B9B9442CD3542E4BD2109C1CA11430A"},"heading":"Accreditation of law enforcement agencies","effect":"Directs the Attorney General to develop law enforcement agency accreditation standards, requires grant applicants to use at least 5 percent of Byrne grant awards toward agency accreditation, and limits some Justice Department discretionary grants to States and localities that require accreditation.","amount":null,"quote":"the applicant will use not less than 5 percent of the total amount of the grant award for the fiscal year to assist law enforcement agencies of the applicant, including campus public safety departments, gain or maintain accreditation"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 114","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-HFE63CA77E45642CBAA32A8F51E29D93E"},"heading":"Law enforcement grants","effect":"Requires grant applicants to use at least 5 percent of grant awards on management, training, recruiting, hiring and oversight programs, authorizes grants to community-based organizations, and authorizes $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 for that grant program.","amount":"$25,000,000","quote":"The Attorney General may make grants to community-based organizations to study and implement—"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 115","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H4B542945CFA54EE8BA74E5F65B9D35E7"},"heading":"Attorney General to conduct study","effect":"Directs the Attorney General to study State laws, rules and procedures that let officers delay responses to internal affairs or review board questions, with reports to Congress.","amount":null,"quote":"any law, rule, or procedure that allows a law enforcement officer to delay the response to questions posed by a local internal affairs officer, or review board"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 117","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-HAD74ED0ACE2E43DA87CE88A7DE98DCFC"},"heading":"National task force on law enforcement oversight","effect":"Establishes a Task Force on Law Enforcement Oversight within the Department of Justice, with members from listed Department offices, to coordinate detection and referral of misconduct complaints, and authorizes $5,000,000 for each fiscal year.","amount":"$5,000,000","quote":"There is established within the Department of Justice a task force to be known as the Task Force on Law Enforcement Oversight"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 366","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-HAC30EC476AD44892A2657E22D4A7A571"},"heading":"Public safety innovation grants","effect":"Amends Byrne and COPS grant purposes to allow local public safety innovation task forces, crisis intervention team assessments, and funding to recruit officers willing to relocate to communities and to develop workforce diversity strategies.","amount":null,"quote":"may include the development of best practices for and the creation of local task forces on public safety innovation, charged with exploring and developing new strategies for public safety"}]},{"category":"narrow_beneficiary","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 333","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H163FB1E366724F1B98A496A840E97585"},"heading":"Data collection demonstration project","effect":"Authorizes a 2-year data collection demonstration project of up to 5 grants or contracts on stop and search hit rates, open to agencies serving communities with a significant concentration of racial or ethnic minorities that are not already collecting data; authorizes $5,000,000 and $500,000.","amount":null,"quote":"awarded to law enforcement agencies that serve communities where there is a significant concentration of racial or ethnic minorities and that are not already collecting data voluntarily"}]},{"category":"named_funding","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 116","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H96CD7D249B5843F5A80C8FD3AA47BA9A"},"heading":"Authorization of appropriations","effect":"Authorizes $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 for enforcement of pattern-or-practice and civil rights provisions, and $3,300,000 for conflict resolution by the Department of Justice's Community Relations Service.","amount":"$3,300,000","quote":"$3,300,000 for additional expenses related to conflict resolution by the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service"}]},{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 372","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H5AA2BB811DC74392BC9E85D015AFD39F"},"heading":"Requirements for Federal law enforcement officers regarding the use of body cameras","effect":"Requires Federal law enforcement officers to wear and activate body cameras, but excepts officers who are military police, members of the Army Criminal Investigation Command, or on a protective detail from the requirement during stops.","amount":null,"quote":"the officer is a military police officer, a member of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, or a protective detail assigned to a Federal or foreign official"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 202","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H86CB27B938EF45DFB5941B1823026D1C"},"heading":"Certification requirements for hiring of law enforcement officers","effect":"Bars States and local units from Byrne grant funds unless they have a certification and decertification program and submit officer certification records to the registry; Indian Tribes are excluded from this condition.","amount":null,"quote":"a State or unit of local government, other than an Indian Tribe, may not receive funds under the Byrne grant program for that fiscal year"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 224","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H48ACD47A633E43589AE6FA5234A4C199"},"heading":"Use of force data reporting","effect":"Authorizes technical assistance grants for use of force data reporting, limited to law enforcement agencies that employ no more than 100 officers and meet listed policy and complaint-system conditions.","amount":null,"quote":"employ not more that 100 local or tribal law enforcement officers"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 364","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh#toc-H3D088A8838D043D3B5244B3A70675664"},"heading":"PEACE Act","effect":"Conditions Byrne grant funds on State or local laws consistent with the Act's use of force limits; Indian Tribes are excluded from this funding condition.","amount":null,"quote":"A State or unit of local government, other than an Indian Tribe, may not receive funds that the State or unit of local government would otherwise receive under a Byrne grant program"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2021-03-03","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1280/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-hr-1280.png","v":"af21854e24c1","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 1280, 117th Congress: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. House: 220 Yea, 212 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 3 Mar 2021."}}