Racing to enact policing reform policies, some of which had languished for years, legislators in 31 states have introduced about 450 bills, a rapid response that a National Conference of State Legislatures criminal justice analyst said “is not something I’ve ever seen previously,” the Associated Press reports. The urgency, since protests erupted following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May, has been bipartisan, with legislative bodies controlled by Democrats and Republicans alike taking action.
Minnesota, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Colorado legislators quickly passed measures on accountability and use of force. Many states’ legislative sessions had finished by the time the protests began, but some states have set special sessions this year. California’s legislature this month is pushing to enact nearly a dozen police-related laws, including one that would require officers to intercede immediately and report what they see as use of excessive force. Virginia’s new Democratic majority will debate a wide range of proposals in a special session this month, including one that would downgrade assaults on police officers from a felony to misdemeanor when officers are uninjured. Oregon lawmakers will also take up measures including a ban on the use of tear gas in a special session. Daniel Feldman, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said Floyd’s death has sparked a sustainable movement that created a tipping point, much like the gay rights movement did previously. “It does seem to me that this is one of those changes in public opinion that has staying power,” he said.