U.S. House of Representatives Passes the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021

On March 3, 2021, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R.1280, The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, in a 220-212 vote. The bill will now move to the Senate for debate. 

This bill is important for a variety of reasons, including: 

• The ban of chokeholds, carotid holds, and no-knock warrants. 
• Establishes a National Police Misconduct Registry to Prevent Problematic Officers. 
• Reforms qualified immunity so that individuals are not barred from recovering damages when police violate their constitutional rights. 
• Prohibits Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement from Racial, Religious and Discriminatory Profiling. 

Additionally, if passed, the bill would establish Public Safety Innovation Grants that will help communities develop concrete and equitable public safety approaches. ACA believes that this legislation would create opportunities for the counseling profession to provide their expertise in the development of equitable public safety approaches that focus on training and law enforcement policies.  

ACA will continue working with congressional leaders to shed light on the importance of greater mental health access as it relates to community safety. As this bill and others like it move forward, ACA will keep our community updated and share recommendations on working with state and federal lawmakers. 

Counselors can and will have a positive impact in holding law enforcement accountable for misconduct and helping to reform police training and policies. With your help, we will make sure that Congress does not forget the importance of the counseling profession and its value to communities across the country.  

ACA would like to thank our members for your advocacy in helping this bill move forward. If you are not an active ACA advocate, it is never too late to join our advocacy efforts. Please visit the ACA Take Action page to sign up today. If you have any questions, contact the ACA Government Affairs and Public Policy team by e-mail at advocacy@counseling.org.