What does Preamble of Qualified Immunity Accountability Act do?

This bill proposes to amend title 18, United States Code. The proposed amendment revises standards related to death resulting from a deprivation of rights under color of law.

What does SHORT TITLE. of Qualified Immunity Accountability Act do?

This bill is formally titled the Qualified Immunity Accountability Act.

What does DEPRIVATION OF RIGHTS UNDER COLOR OF LAW. of Qualified Immunity Accountability Act do?

This section amends Section 242 of Title 18, United States Code. The amendment changes the required mental state from 'willfully' to 'knowingly or recklessly'. The amendment removes the possibility of a death sentence. The amendment adds a definition clarifying when an act is considered to have resulted in death, stating it occurs if the act was a 'substantial factor contributing to the death of the person'.

What does QUALIFIED IMMUNITY REFORM. of Qualified Immunity Accountability Act do?

This section amends Section 1979 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 1983). It removes the 'good faith' defense and the 'clearly established law' defense for certain law enforcement officers in actions brought under this section. The amendment applies to local law enforcement officers as defined in section 2 of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025. It also applies to Federal investigative or law enforcement officers as defined in section 2680(h) of title 28, United States Code.

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Qualified Immunity Accountability Act

Last updated: 2/4/2026 · Introduced: 1/30/2026

Author: Julie Johnson (D-TX)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill lowers the standard of culpability for law enforcement officers convicted of depriving someone of their rights under color of law, changing it from 'willfully' to 'knowingly or recklessly' and eliminating the possibility of a death sentence.
The bill eliminates qualified immunity as a defense for local and federal law enforcement officers in civil lawsuits alleging violations of civil rights.
It clarifies that an act results in death if it is a 'substantial factor contributing to the death of the person' when considering deprivation of rights under color of law.

119th Congressin committeeHR. 5361(In Committee)Official page

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Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 2 more.

4 sections

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