Bill > HR503

This bill codifies the legal doctrine of qualified immunity for law enforcement officers in Section 1983 civil rights lawsuits, which allows officers to avoid personal liability for constitutional violations under certain circumstances. Specifically, the bill establishes that a law enforcement officer cannot be found liable if they can demonstrate either that the constitutional or legal right they allegedly violated was not clearly established at the time of the incident, or that a court had previously determined their specific conduct was consistent with constitutional and federal laws. The bill defines law enforcement officers broadly to include federal, state, tribal, and local officials with arrest powers, and extends the immunity to the employing law enforcement agency if the officer is found not liable and was acting within the scope of their employment. The legislation's findings emphasize that qualified immunity is intended to protect reasonable officers from harassment and liability while still maintaining accountability for those who are plainly incompetent or knowingly violate the law. The amendments to the existing statute will take effect 180 days after the act's enactment, providing time for law enforcement agencies and legal systems to prepare for the new standardized qualified immunity framework.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/503/all-info