BATON ROUGE, La. (May 12, 2021) – Yesterday, the Louisiana House passed a bill that would create a process to sue police officers in state court for using excessive force without the possibility of “qualified immunity” as a defense. But an amendment to the bill could create a chilling effect on those looking for justice. […]
State Passes Revolutionary Bill to Finally Ban No-Knock Warrants
Published: May 9, 2021
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This week, the state of Tennessee made history after the House gave final approval to Senate Bill 1380 (SB1380) that bans “no-knock” warrants in the state. Highlighting the bipartisan support behind the bill, it passed the Senate and the House without a single ‘nay.’
Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville) introduced Senate Bill 1380 on Feb. 11 and it has seen unprecedented support from both parties.
Last month, the full Senate passed the bill by a vote of 33-0. Then on Monday, the House substituted the Senate bill for the House version and voted for its approval with a 90-0 count. It now moves to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature.
BOSTON, MA (April 29, 2021) – A bill introduced in the Massachusetts House would eliminate qualified immunity as a defense for police officers sued in state court for using excessive force or taking other actions that violate individual rights.
Rep Antonio Cabral (D) introduced House Bill 1479 (H1479) on March 29. Massachusetts already allows people to sue law enforcement officers under state law for “an alleged act or failure to act which constitutes a violation of the civil rights of any person under federal or state law.” H1479 would eliminate qualified immunity as a defense to liability for claims brought under state law with the following language: