H.R. 5361

George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025

Sponsor: Glenn Ivey

136 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025

This bill addresses a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability. It increases accountability for law enforcement misconduct, restricts the use of certain policing practices, enhances transparency and data collection, and establishes best practices and training requirements.

The bill enhances existing enforcement mechanisms to remedy violations by law enforcement. Among other things, it does the following:

  • lowers the criminal intent standard—from willful to knowing or reckless—to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution,
  • limits qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer, and
  • grants administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in pattern-or-practice investigations.

It establishes a framework to prevent and remedy racial profiling by law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels. It also limits the unnecessary use of force and restricts the use of no-knock warrants, chokeholds, and carotid holds.

The bill creates a national registry—the National Police Misconduct Registry—to compile data on complaints and records of police misconduct. It also establishes new reporting requirements, including on the use of force, officer misconduct, and routine policing practices (e.g., stops and searches).

Finally, it directs DOJ to create uniform accreditation standards for law enforcement agencies and requires law enforcement officers to complete training on racial profiling, implicit bias, and the duty to intervene when another officer uses excessive force.

Text of the bill

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I Police Accountability

A Holding Police Accountable in the Courts

Sec. 104. Independent investigations

(a) In general

(1) Definitions. In this subsection:

(A) Independent investigation. The term independent investigation means a criminal investigation or prosecution of a law enforcement officer’s use of deadly force, including one or more of the following:

(i) Using an agency or civilian review board that investigates and independently reviews all allegations of use of deadly force made against law enforcement officers in the jurisdiction.

(ii) Assigning of the attorney general of the State in which the alleged use of deadly force was committed to conduct the criminal investigation and prosecution.

(iii) Adopting a procedure under which an independent prosecutor is assigned to investigate and prosecute the case, including a procedure under which an automatic referral is made to an independent prosecutor appointed and overseen by the attorney general of the State in which the alleged use of deadly force was committed.

(iv) Adopting a procedure under which an independent prosecutor is assigned to investigate and prosecute the case.

(v) Having law enforcement agencies agree to and implement memoranda of understanding with other law enforcement agencies under which the other law enforcement agencies—

(I) shall conduct the criminal investigation into the alleged use of deadly force; and

(II) upon conclusion of the criminal investigation, shall file a report with the attorney general of the State containing a determination regarding whether—

(aa) the use of deadly force was appropriate; and

(bb) any action should be taken by the attorney general of the State.

(vi) Any substantially similar procedure to ensure impartiality in the investigation or prosecution.

(B) Independent investigation of law enforcement statute. The term independent investigation of law enforcement statute means a statute requiring an independent investigation in a criminal matter in which—

(i) one or more of the possible defendants is a law enforcement officer;

(ii) one or more of the alleged offenses involves the law enforcement officer’s use of deadly force in the course of carrying out that officer’s duty; and

(iii) the non-Federal law enforcement officer’s use of deadly force resulted in a death or injury.

(C) Independent prosecutor. The term independent prosecutor means, with respect to a criminal investigation or prosecution of a law enforcement officer’s use of deadly force, a prosecutor who—

(i) does not oversee or regularly rely on the law enforcement agency by which the law enforcement officer under investigation is employed; and

(ii) would not be involved in the prosecution in the ordinary course of that prosecutor’s duties.

(2) Grant program. The Attorney General may award grants to eligible States and Indian Tribes to assist in implementing an independent investigation of law enforcement statute.

(3) Eligibility. To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, a State or Indian Tribe shall have in effect an independent investigation of law enforcement statute.

(4) Authorization of appropriations. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General $750,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 through 2028 to carry out this subsection.

(b) COPS grant program used for civilian review boards. Part Q of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 1701(b) (34 U.S.C. 10381(b))—

(A) by redesignating paragraphs (22) and (23) as paragraphs (23) and (24), respectively;

(B) in paragraph (23), as so redesignated, by striking (21) and inserting (22); and

(C) by inserting after paragraph (21) the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(22) to develop best practices for and to create civilian review boards;

; and

(2) in section 1709 (34 U.S.C. 10389), by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(8) civilian review board means an administrative entity that investigates civilian complaints against law enforcement officers and—

(A) is independent and adequately funded;

(B) has investigatory authority and subpoena power;

(C) has representative community diversity;

(D) has policymaking authority;

(E) provides advocates for civilian complainants;

(F) may conduct hearings; and

(G) conducts statistical studies on prevailing complaint trends.

B Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act

II Policing Transparency Through Data

A National Police Misconduct Registry

B PRIDE Act

III Improving Police Training and Policies

A End Racial and Religious Profiling Act

I Prohibition of Racial Profiling

II Programs To Eliminate Racial Profiling By Federal Law Enforcement Agencies

III Programs To Eliminate Racial Profiling By State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies

IV Data Collection

V Department of Justice Regulations and Reports on Racial Profiling in the United States

B Additional Reforms

C Law Enforcement Body Cameras

1 Federal Police Camera and Accountability Act

2 Police CAMERA Act

IV Closing the Law Enforcement Consent Loophole

V Miscellaneous Provisions