Ending Qualified Immunity: Increased Accountability for Officials Violating Rights.
This bill eliminates "qualified immunity" for state and local officials, including law enforcement, who violate citizens' constitutional rights. This change significantly increases the ability of individuals whose rights were violated to successfully sue for damages. Officials can no longer use the defense that they acted in good faith or that the violated right was not "clearly established."
Key points
State and local officials (e.g., police) lose protection from civil lawsuits when they violate constitutional rights.
Citizens gain a stronger ability to seek compensation in court if their rights are infringed upon by government actors.
The defenses of "good faith" or the right not being "clearly established" are explicitly removed from liability cases.
Expired
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