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Costa Supports George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

June 26, 2020

(FRESNO) Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16) released the following statement after passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020, a bill which provides a comprehensive approach to change the culture of law enforcement and build trust between police and our communities:

"Now is the time to be bold in the face of racial injustice and create meaningful change in our nation," said Costa. "But we must get it right. We need to work together -- the House, Senate and the President -- if we're to have comprehensive reform. This bill works to improve transparency and create a change that safeguards every American's right to safety and justice."

The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 will take key steps to achieve transformational, structural change to combat a pattern of violence by:

  • Prohibiting federal, state, and local law enforcement from racial, religious and discriminatory profiling, and mandates training on racial, religious, and discriminatory profiling for all law enforcement;
  • De-militarizing the police by limiting the transfer of military weaponry to state and local police departments;
  • Combating police brutality, including by requiring body and dashboard cameras, banning chokeholds, ending the use of no-knock warrants in drug cases and enacting steps to end racial profiling;
  • Establishing public safety innovation grants for community-based organizations to create local commissions and task forces to help communities to re-imagine and develop concrete, just and equitable public safety approaches.
  • Establishing a National Police Misconduct Registry to prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave on agency from moving to another jurisdiction without any accountability.
  • Stepping up pressure on the Justice Department to address systemic racial discrimination by law enforcement;

Congressman Costa is a co-sponsor of the legislation.

A fact sheet on the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 is available here.

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