(CNS photo)
The on-again, off-again status of a bill to end qualified immunity for Virginia police officers is on again, after the House of Delegates voted Tuesday in favor of it.
The House had voted down the proposal Friday, when several Democrats either abstained or voted against it.
But the bill’s sponsor, Delegate Jeff Bourne (D-Richmond), stuck with it and saw it breathe new air twice in its path through the House – culminating Tuesday, when Delegate Ibraheem Samirah (D-Herndon) re-introduced it and the House approved it 49-45.
The bill would open up law enforcement officers to civil lawsuits. It originally failed to pass committee earlier in the session and took two days and some adjustments for the bill to make it to the full House floor.
Once on the full floor, the House failed to pass the bill as several Democrats either abstained from voting or they outright voted against the bill. The backlash against the Democrats over the labor day weekend took place publicly with delegates disagreeing on Twitter.
After addressing his original “no” vote in this video amid mounting public pressure over it, Samirah re-introduced the bill during the full House session on Tuesday.
“Today’s the day,” said Samirah on Twitter. “I’ll motion for a revote to end Qualified Immunity in Virginia for good during session, at 4 p.m. With the help of Delegate Kaye Kory, we can pass it.”
The House passed the bill with ease, as Samirah and Kory voted in favor of the bill this time.
“Although I had concerns about the bill last Friday,” said Kory in a statement on Tuesday, “I welcomed the reconsideration as an opportunity to do further work with Delegate Bourne and my House and Senate colleagues.”
Samirah said he re-introduced the bill and voted for it despite some ongoing concerns.
“Although I continue to stand in opposition of the current weakened language of HB 5013, the bill to eliminate qualified immunity in Virginia, I would not let my current opposition to the language prevent it from passing from the Virginia House to the Senate,” he said after the final vote.
The bill now must be passed by the Senate, but Delegates and activists are not optimistic they will pass it. Democrats hold a slim 21-19 majority, and the Senate already killed a similar bill during the special session.
The House also passed HB 5030 on Tuesday, sponsored by Delegate Delores McQuinn (D-Richmond), which makes it easier for localities to remove a monument without a waiting period.
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This article first appeared on VirginiaScope.com. It is republished here with permission.
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Virginia House reverses course again, advances bill eliminating qualified immunity - Henrico Citizen
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