Massachusetts lawmakers approved a major police reform bill after protests over George Floyd’s death that creates a new system for officer accountability, restricts no-knock warrants and bans chokeholds, reports Reuters. Leaders of the state House of Representatives and Senate called the legislation one of the most comprehensive reform packages to be adopted nationally in response to calls for racial justice. Tuesday’s votes by the Democratic-led chambers followed efforts by other states and cities from coast to coast to adopt law enforcement reforms. The legislation faced strong opposition from police unions. The House voted 92-67 to approve the legislation after the Senate voted 28-12 in favor.
Republican Governor Charlie Baker, who put forward policing legislation in June, has not said if he will sign it. Baker is “committed to enhancing and improving public safety” and will review the legislation, a spokesman said. Under the legislation, a new commission would have the authority to certify and decertify officers, oversee misconduct investigations and standardize training. The legislation stops short of limiting “qualified immunity” for certified officers, the legal doctrine that has helped cops beat back lawsuits that accuse them of excessive force. The measure would limit those protections if the newly established Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission decertifies an officer for violating a person’s right to bias-free professional policing. The Massachusetts legislation creates what lawmakers say would be a first-in-the-nation statewide moratorium on biometric surveillance systems, including facial recognition technology.