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Fentrice Driskell
Representative | Hillsborough County, FL

Equity Initiative: House Minority Leader Driskell Backs Bipartisan Police Reform Bill

Idea Category: Equity & Opportunity, Public Safety

Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell carried a bipartisan police reform bill through the committee's process, earning unanimous support. After months of negotiations with the Legislative Black Caucus, HB 7051 was approved in order to increase transparency and establish more accountability measures into police departments. Driskell pushed the bill in response to citizens' demands to end the trend of the killing of unarmed Black people. The national attention that sparked protests around the nation revealed the need for greater public safety, which required legislation to ensure that all officers were mentally astute and properly trained in de-escalation techniques. The bill would allow law enforcement agencies to create stricter policies, such as banning chokeholds or requiring officers to report use of force that results in injury or death. House Democratic leaders say they will continue to have conversations with citizens about how the police force can best serve community members.