U.S. House of Representatives bans controversial police tactics with new ‘George Floyd’ reform bill

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill on Wednesday March 3 banning several controversial police tactics and eventually easing the way for potential lawsuits against law enforcement officers violating suspects’ constitutional rights, although the measure’s Senate prospects were uncertain.

Democrats pushed the “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act” by a vote of 220-212, with the support of only one Republican member of Congress – as noted by the Hill news agency, ‘pressed the wrong button’. Two Democrats opposed the controversial reform.

Now the bill will be considered by the Senate.

The ‘George Floyd’ bill includes measures such as restricting certain funds to local governments that allow law enforcement officers to use choke holds, as well as banning “no-knock warrants” that allow law enforcement officers to enter premises without announcing themselves and requiring law enforcement agencies to provide data on instances when police officers used deadly force.