Companion Legislation Introduced in House to Require States to Report Officer-Involved Shootings

Strategic Insights -

Congressmen William Timmons (SC-04), Ben Cline (VA-06), Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), Will Hurd (TX-23), and Dan Bishop (NC-09) have introduced companion legislation in the House to Senator Tim Scott's bill, the Walter Scott Notification Act. The bill aims to improve data collection on officer-involved shootings, with a requirement that states receiving federal funding for law enforcement report such incidents to the Department of Justice. The legislation comes as Congress considers police reforms, and lawmakers emphasize the need for better data to inform policy decisions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Walter Scott Notification Act would require states receiving federal funding for law enforcement to report any officer-involved shooting where an individual is involved in an altercation and is not in police custody to the Department of Justice.
  • The legislation aims to improve data collection on officer-involved shootings, which is essential for policymakers to make informed decisions on police reforms.
  • States that fail to abide by the requirements could be subject to a ten percent reduction in federal grant funds.
  • The bill has bipartisan support, with Congressman William Timmons, Ben Cline, Jaime Herrera Beutler, Will Hurd, and Dan Bishop introducing the companion legislation in the House.
  • The legislation is named after Walter Scott, who was tragically murdered by a police officer in 2015 in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Statistics:

  • 10% reduction in federal grant funds for states that fail to abide by the requirements.
  • The bill aims to improve data collection on officer-involved shootings, which is essential for policymakers to make informed decisions on police reforms.
  • According to Senator Tim Scott, there is a need for a modern-day system to track police shootings, and the Walter Scott Notification Act addresses this issue.

Sources:

  • Congressman William Timmons (SC-04) - Washington, DC.
  • Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) - Washington, DC.
  • Congressman Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03) - Washington, DC.
  • Congressman Will Hurd (TX-23) - Washington, DC.
  • Congressman Dan Bishop (NC-09) - Washington, DC.
  • Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) - "Walter Scott Notification Act".