Bill > HR3602

This bill seeks to eliminate qualified immunity, a legal doctrine that currently protects government officials from being held personally liable for constitutional rights violations. The bill provides historical context, noting that the original 1871 law (Ku Klux Klan Act) was designed to protect civil rights, particularly for newly freed slaves, by allowing individuals to sue government officials who violate their constitutional rights. The bill argues that the Supreme Court has gradually transformed the original law's intent through a series of decisions that created and expanded qualified immunity, which makes it difficult for plaintiffs to successfully sue government officials. Specifically, the bill would amend Section 1979 of the Revised Statutes to explicitly state that government officials cannot use certain defenses in civil rights lawsuits, including claims that they were acting in good faith, believed their conduct was lawful, or that the violated rights were not "clearly established" at the time of the incident. By removing these legal protections, the bill aims to make it easier for individuals to seek damages when their constitutional rights are violated by state and local officials, thus restoring what Congress believes was the original purpose of the law.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3602/all-info