Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on Funding and New Grant Authorizations

Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on Funding and New Grant Authorizations

Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on
March 11, 2021
Funding and New Authorizations
Nathan James
The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, while he was in the custody of law enforcement,
Analyst in Crime Policy
combined with several other recent high-profile deaths of African Americans at the hands of the

police, have generated congressional interest in legislation to reform state and local policing
practices, and to require law enforcement agencies to collect more data on law enforcement

actions and activities and share these data with the public.
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 (H.R. 7120, 116th Congress) was introduced and passed by the House in
June 2020, but it was not taken up by the Senate. The legislation has been reintroduced in the current Congress as the George
Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 (JIPA, H.R. 1280). The House passed JIPA on March 3, 2021. The legislation is an
omnibus measure that would address a variety of policing reform topics and approaches. These include attempting to reform
state and local policing practices through two means: placing conditions on existing Department of Justice (DOJ) grant
programs, such as the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) or Community Oriented Policing Services
(COPS) programs; and authorizing new grant programs.
Some examples of conditions JIPA would place on existing DOJ grant programs include the following:
 The bill would require federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies to report data to DOJ on
stops for traffic violations, pedestrian stops, frisks and body searches, and the use of deadly force by law
enforcement officers. States that do not comply would be ineligible to receive funding under JAG or any
other law enforcement assistance program (such as the COPS program) unless the state has ensured, to
DOJ’s satisfaction, that it and each local law enforcement agency within it is in substantial compliance with
the requirements of the section.
 The bill would make submitting records to the National Police Misconduct Registry, which would be
established by the legislation, a condition of receiving JAG funds.
 The bill would prohibit federal law enforcement officers from seeking a no-knock warrant in drug cases.
State and local governments would not be eligible for COPS funding unless they have a law that similarly
prohibits the use of no-knock warrants in drug cases.
Some examples of new grant programs that would be authorized under JIPA include the following:
 The bill would authorize grants to states and tribal governments to assist with implementing statutes that
provide for the independent prosecution of law enforcement officers who use deadly force. The bill would
authorize $750 million each fiscal year from FY2022 to FY2024.
 The bill would authorize grants to states to conduct investigations of repeated civil rights violations by law
enforcement officers (also known as pattern and practice investigations). The bill would authorize $100
million each fiscal year from FY2022 to FY2024.

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Contents
Conditions on Department of Justice Grant Programs in H.R. 1280......................................... 1
Authorization of Appropriations in H.R. 1280 ..................................................................... 5

Tables
Table 1. Proposed Requirements and Conditions on DOJ Grant Programs in H.R. 1280 ............ 2
Table 2. New Authorizations in H.R. 1280 .......................................................................... 5

Contacts
Author Information ......................................................................................................... 6

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Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on Funding and New Authorizations

he death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, while in the custody of law enforcement in
May 2020, along with several other high-profile deaths of African Americans at the hands
T of the police (including Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY; Philando Castile in Falcon
Heights, MN; Breonna Taylor in Louisvil e, KY; and Daniel Prude in Rochester, NY), have
served as the catalyst for protests against police violence in cities across the country. These deaths
and the resulting protests have spurred interest in policing reform legislation in Congress.
On June 8, 2020, Representative Karen Bass introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
of 2020 (H.R. 7120) in the 116th Congress. The bil was passed by the House on June 25, 2020,
but it was not taken up by the Senate. On February 24, 2021, Representative Bass reintroduced
the bil in the House as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 (JIPA, H.R. 1280). The
House passed JIPA on March 3, 2021. The legislation is an omnibus measures that would address
a variety of policing reform topics, such as requiring law enforcement agencies to submit data to
the federal government on the use of force; increasing the use of body-worn camera (BWCs);
providing for the external, independent investigation and prosecution of law enforcement officers’
use of deadly force; banning chokeholds; and providing implicit-bias and de-escalation training to
law enforcement officers. The bill would use Congress’s power of the purse to reform state and
local policing practices through two means: (1) placing conditions on existing Department of
Justice (DOJ) grant programs, such as the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant
(JAG) or Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) programs, to incentivize state and local
governments to adopt certain policing reforms; and (2) authorizing new programs to assist state,
local, and tribal governments with adopting such reforms.
This report provides an overview of the new conditions that would be placed on existing grant
programs and the authorizations for new grant programs contained in JIPA. The report does not
discuss provisions that do not establish new requirements for state and local governments (e.g.,
requirements for federal law enforcement officers to use BWCs or to have cameras in their patrol
cars, or to make the use of chokeholds a federal civil rights violation) or do not authorize funding
for new grant programs.
Do the New Requirements and Grants in JIPA Apply to Indian Tribes?
In general, it appears that the requirements and grant programs under H.R. 1280 would apply to Indian tribes. In
some cases, tribal governments are specifical y identified in the text of the bil . In other cases, requirements or
grant programs apply to “units of local government,” and in the bil this term has the same meaning as it does in
34 U.S.C. Section 10251, which includes Indian tribes with law enforcement responsibilities. However, there are
some instances where Indian tribes are exempted from particular requirements.
Conditions on Department of Justice Grant
Programs in H.R. 1280
H.R. 1280 would attach new requirements and conditions to funding under the JAG or COPS
programs to provide an incentive for state and local law enforcement agencies to submit data on
policing actions and activities and to adopt reforms to their policing practices.1 The proposed
conditions general y take two forms: making state and local governments ineligible for funding
under these programs unless they submit required data or adopt a particular reform, or authorizing

1 For more information on the JAG program see CRS In Focus IF10691, The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice
Assistance Grant (JAG) Program . For more information on the COPS program, see CRS In Focus IF10922,
Com m unity Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program .
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DOJ to reduce funding under these programs if state and local governments do not comply. Table
1 provides an overview of these conditions.
Table 1. Proposed Requirements and Conditions on DOJ Grant Programs
in H.R. 1280
Proposed Requirement
Condition
Section 103(d) prevents state and local governments
State or local governments that receive JAG or COPS
from entering into a contractual agreement, including a
funding cannot make any of these funds available to a
col ective bargaining agreement, that would prevent the
local law enforcement agency that enters into or
Attorney General from seeking or enforcing equitable
renews a prohibited contractual agreement. This
or declaratory relief against a law enforcement agency
requirement would go into effect at the beginning of
engaging in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional
the fiscal year that is one year after the date of
misconduct, or conflicts with any terms or conditions
enactment of the bil .
contained in a consent decree.a
Section 113 would require the Attorney General to
JAG applicants would be required to use not less than
analyze existing accreditation standards and, based on
5% of their al ocation to assist law enforcement
the results of this analysis, recommend the adoption of
agencies with gaining or maintaining accreditation from
national standards that wil result in greater
a certified law enforcement accreditation organization.
accountability for law enforcement agencies and place a
In addition, the bil would require the Attorney
focus on policing with a guardian mentality.b The
General, as appropriate and consistent with applicable
Attorney General’s recommendations would be
law, to al ocate discretionary DOJ grant funding only to
required to include standards related to (1) early
states or units of local government that require law
warning systems; (2) use of force procedures; (3)
enforcement agencies to gain and maintain
civilian review procedures; (4) traffic and pedestrian
accreditation from certified law enforcement
stop and search procedures; (5) data col ection and
accreditation organizations.
transparency; (6) administrative due process
requirements; (7) video monitoring technology; (8)
youth justice and school safety; and (9) recruitment,
hiring, and training.
Section 114(a) would require applicants under the JAG
JAG applicants would be required to use not less than
program to study and implement effective management,
5% of their al ocation for this purpose.
training, recruiting, hiring, and oversight standards and
programs to promote effective community and
problem solving strategies for law enforcement
agencies.
Section 118 would require federal, state, tribal, and
States that do not comply would be ineligible to receive
local law enforcement agencies to report data to DOJ
funding under JAG or any other law enforcement
on stops for traffic violations, pedestrian stops, frisks
assistance program (such as the COPS program) unless
and body searches, and the use of deadly force by a law
the state has ensured, to DOJ’s satisfaction, that it and
enforcement officer.
each local law enforcement agency within it is in
substantial compliance with the requirements of the
section.
Section 201 would require states to submit disciplinary
Submitting records would be a condition of receiving
records to the National Police Misconduct Registry,
JAG funds. States would be required to submit records
which would be established by the bil . DOJ would have
at the beginning of the first fiscal year that is one year
to establish the registry within 180 days of the
after the enactment of the bil , and every fiscal year
enactment of the bil .
thereafter. States would be required to submit specified
records every 180 days.
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Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on Funding and New Authorizations

Proposed Requirement
Condition
Section 202 would require states and units of local
States and units of local government would be ineligible
government, other than Indian tribes, to submit
for funding under the JAG program unless they submit
records to DOJ showing that their officers are certified
the required records. These records would be treated
to work as law enforcement officers in the state. State
in the same manner as other records states are
and local governments would also be required to
required to submit to the National Police Misconduct
submit evidence to DOJ that they have a certification
Registry. This requirement would go into effect at the
and decertification for purposes of employment as a
beginning of the fiscal year that is one year after the
law enforcement officer in that state or unit of local
date of enactment of the bil .
government that is consistent with the rules that DOJ
would be required to publish.
Section 223 would require states and Indian tribes to
States or Indian tribes that do not submit the required
submit reports to DOJ on the use of force by, and
reports would be subject to a penalty of up to 10% of
against, law enforcement officers, including incidents
their JAG award. This requirement would go into effect
where a law enforcement officer uses deadly force
at the beginning of the fiscal year that is one year after
against a civilian, incidents where a law enforcement
the date of enactment of the bil .
officer shoots a civilian, incidents where a civilian
shoots a law enforcement officer, incidents involving
the death or arrest of a law enforcement officer, and
any other incidents involving use of force by or against
a law enforcement officer that is not included in one of
the above instances; deaths in custody; and the use of
force in arrests and bookings. States and tribal
governments would be required to establish a system
and a set of policies to ensure that al use of force
incidents are reported by local and tribal law
enforcement officers. States and Indian tribes would
not be required to report any incidents under this
section that they are already required to submit to
DOJ under the Death in Custody Reporting Act (34
U.S.C. §12104(a)(2)).
Section 331 would require that state and local
State and local governments or state or local law
governments or state and local law enforcement
enforcement agencies that apply for funding under the
agencies have policies and procedures designed to
JAG and COPS programs, with the exception of funding
eliminate racial profiling and show that they have
for active shooter training, would be required to certify
eliminated any existing practices that permit or
that they have these policies in place. This requirement
encourage racial profiling. These policies would be
would go into effect 12 months after the date of
required to include a prohibition on racial profiling,
enactment of the bil .
training on racial profiling, col ection of data on racial
profiling required under Section 341 of the bil , and
participation in the administrative complaint procedure
and independent audit program that meets the
requirements of Section 332 of the bil .
Section 332 would require that DOJ, within six months
If DOJ determines that a recipient of a JAG or COPS
of enactment of the bil , issue regulations for the
grant is not in compliance with the requirements of
operation of administrative complaint procedures and
Section 331 or the regulations issued by DOJ under
independent audit programs to ensure that such
Section 332, DOJ would be required to withhold, in
programs and procedures provide an appropriate
whole or in part, a grantee’s funds under the JAG and
response to al egations of racial profiling by law
COPS programs, with the exception of funding for
enforcement agents or agencies.
active shooter training programs, until the recipient
complies.
Section 334 would require applicants under the JAG
JAG applicants would be required to use not less than
program to develop and implement best practices to
10% of their al ocation under the program for this
eliminate racial profiling.
purpose.
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Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on Funding and New Authorizations

Proposed Requirement
Condition
Section 361 would require DOJ to establish a training
State and units of local government would not be
program for law enforcement officers on racial
eligible for JAG funding unless they require their law
profiling, implicit bias, and procedural justice; establish a enforcement officers to undergo the training DOJ
clear duty for federal law enforcement officers to
establishes under Section 361. This requirement would
intervene in cases where another law enforcement
go into effect at the beginning of the fiscal year that is
officer is using excessive force against a civilian; and
one year after the date of enactment of the bil .
establish a training program that covers the duty to
intervene.
Section 362 would prohibit federal law enforcement
State and units of local government would not be
officers from seeking a no-knock warrant in drug cases.
eligible for COPS funding unless they have a law that
prohibits the use of no-knock warrants in drug cases.
This requirement would go into effect at the beginning
of the fiscal year that is one year after the date of
enactment of the bil .
Section 363 would seek to ban the use of chokeholds
State and units of local government would not be
or carotid holds by state and local law enforcement
eligible for JAG or COPS funding unless they have a law
officers.
that prohibits the use of chokeholds or carotid holds by
state and local law enforcement officers. This
requirement would go into effect at the beginning of
the fiscal year that is one year after the date of
enactment of the bil .
Section 364 would establish new standards for the use
States and units of local government, other than an
of force by federal law enforcement officers so that the
Indian tribe, would not be eligible to receive funds
use of less-than-lethal force is necessary and
under the JAG program unless they have a law that is
proportionate to effect an arrest. When deadly force
consistent with the standards that would be established
must be used, other alternatives to the use of force
by Section 364. States and units of local government
have been exhausted and the use of deadly force is a
would be eligible to receive withheld JAG funds (for up
measure of last resort and used only to prevent
to five prior fiscal years) if they enact a law consistent
imminent serious bodily injury to the officer or another
with the standards of Section 364 and demonstrate
person and where its use poses no risk to a third party.
substantial efforts to enforce the law. This requirement
When feasible, prior to using force, federal law
would go into effect at the beginning of the fiscal year
enforcement officers would also be required to identify
that is one year after the date of enactment of the bil .
themselves as federal law enforcement officers, issue a
verbal warning that they intend to apprehend the
suspect, give a suspect a verbal warning that the officer
wil use force if the suspect resists arrest or flees, and
give the suspect a chance to surrender.
Section 382 would require applicants under the JAG
JAG applicants would be required to use not less than
program to establish BWC programs. Applicants would
5% of their al ocation for this purpose.
be required to use set-aside funds for purchasing or
leasing BWCs, expenses related to implementing a
BWC program, and implementing policies or
procedures related to the effective implementation and
operation of a BWC program.
Source: CRS analysis of H.R. 1280, as introduced in the 117th Congress.
a. For more information on consent decrees, see CRS Legal Sidebar LSB10494, Reforming Patterns of
Unconstitutional Policing: Enforcement of 34 U.S.C. § 12601.
b. For more information on the guardian mentality in law enforcement, see Sue Rahr and Stephen K. Rice, From
Warriors to Guardians: Recommitting American Police Culture to Democratic Ideals, April 2015,
https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/248654.pdf.
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Authorization of Appropriations in H.R. 1280
H.R. 1280 would authorize new grant programs to help promote policing reforms. In addition to
authorizing new grant programs, the legislation would authorize funding for DOJ to provide
training and technical assistance to state and local governments on how to implement the
requirements of the legislation. New authorizations of appropriations that would be provided by
the bil are outlined in Table 2.
Table 2. New Authorizations in H.R. 1280
Program
Authorization/Appropriation
Section 103(b) would authorize grants for states to
The bil would authorize $100 mil ion each fiscal year
conduct pattern and practice investigations.a
from FY2022 to FY2024.
Section 104 would authorize grants to states and tribal
The bil would authorize $750 mil ion each fiscal year
governments to assist with implementing statutes that
from FY2022 to FY2024.
provide for the independent criminal investigation or
prosecution of law enforcement officers who al egedly
used force that resulted in death or injury.
Section 114(b) would authorize grants to community-
The bil would authorize $25 mil ion for FY2022.
based organizations to study and implement effective
management, training, recruiting, hiring, and oversight
standards and programs to promote effective
community and problem solving strategies for law
enforcement agencies; or effective strategies and
solutions to public safety, including strategies that do
not rely on law enforcement responses.
Section 224 would authorize DOJ to make training and
The bil would authorize such sums as necessary for
technical assistance grants to assist tribal and local law
these purposes.
enforcement agencies that employ fewer than 100
officers with meeting use of force data reporting
requirements; creating a system that tracks use of force
complaints against officers; creating public awareness
campaigns designed to gain information from the public
on use of force by or against law enforcement officers;
and providing training on de-escalation, implicit bias,
crisis intervention techniques, and adolescent
development.
Section 333 would authorize a demonstration grant
The bil would authorize $5 mil ion for a two-year
program for DOJ to fund data col ection programs on
period for the program and $500,000 for the
the hit rates (i.e., when contraband is found) for stops
evaluation.
and searches by law enforcement agencies. DOJ can
award up to five grants to law enforcement agencies
that serve communities where there is a significant
concentration of racial or ethnic minorities and that are
not already col ecting data voluntarily. DOJ would be
required to enter into a contract with an institution of
higher education to analyze the data col ected through
the funded program.
Source: CRS analysis of H.R. 1280, as introduced in the 117th Congress.
a. For more information on pattern and practice investigations, see CRS Legal Sidebar LSB10494, Reforming
Patterns of Unconstitutional Policing: Enforcement of 34 U.S.C. § 12601.

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Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on Funding and New Authorizations

Author Information

Nathan James

Analyst in Crime Policy

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R46431 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED
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