Democrats reintroduce police reform bill named in honour of George Floyd

US House Democrats on Wednesday (local time) reintroduced policing legislation named in honour of George Floyd, whose death in police custody last year sparked nationwide calls to address police misconduct and racial injustice, CNN reported.

The bill titled the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 has provisions to overhaul qualified immunity for law enforcement, prohibitions on racial profiling on the part of law enforcement, and a ban on no-knock warrants in federal drug cases.

"This legislation addresses police misconduct and excessive force while creating greater transparency within law enforcement, and grants victims more direct avenues for redress. With this legislation, the federal government demonstrates its commitment to fully reexamining law enforcement practices and building better relationships between law enforcement and the communities they are sworn to protect and serve," CNN quoted House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler's statement.

"While the issue of policing can't be solved by Congress alone, the federal government has a responsibility to address this issue. I look forward to working with my colleagues, across the aisle, and in both chambers, to ensure this bill becomes law," said Democratic Rep. Karen Bass of California.

"Never again should an unarmed individual be murdered or brutalized by someone who is supposed to serve and protect them. Never again should a family have to turn on the TV and watch the murder of their loved one over and over again," she said.

She further said that "Never again should the world be subject to witnessing what we saw happen to George Floyd in the streets in Minnesota."

Floyd, an unarmed and handcuffed man, died on May 25 after then officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to pin Floyd to the ground.

In response, House Democrats had introduced and passed the bill -- then titled the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 -- just weeks after Floyd's death. The legislation, however, was never passed in the Senate, CNN reported.