Julie Johnson (D-TX)
Qualified Immunity Accountability Act
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1989)
Introduced, nothing more yet
Formally proposed, and not yet handed to a committee.
Nearly every bill is sent to a committee within days. Introduction alone is not a sign of support, of momentum, or of any likelihood of passing — any member may introduce any bill.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
What this bill would do
This bill is called the "Qualified Immunity Accountability Act." It changes the standards for when someone can be charged if a deprivation of rights under color of law results in death. It replaces the word "willfully" with "knowingly or recklessly" and defines an act as resulting in death if it was a substantial factor. Additionally, it removes certain defenses and immunities for local, Federal investigative, and law enforcement officers in legal actions.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +9
Does this change how police departments operate?
Directly removes qualified immunity defenses and lowers the burden of proof for criminal liability in death cases.
- Scored +8
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
Increases police accountability, which is a critical issue for African American communities.
- Scored +8
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?
Increases police accountability, which is a critical issue for Hispanic American communities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Accountability for Officials: By changing the legal standard from "willfully" to "knowingly or recklessly" in Section 2, it may be easier to hold officials accountable for deaths resulting from the deprivation of rights.
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Removal of Qualified Immunity Defenses: Section 3 removes the defense that an officer acted in good faith or believed their conduct was lawful. This allows individuals to seek justice even if the officer claimed they thought their actions were legal.
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Easier Legal Recourse for Unclear Laws: Section 3 removes the defense that constitutional rights were not "clearly established" at the time of the incident. This means officers cannot avoid liability just because the state of the law was unclear.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Increased Legal Risk for Law Enforcement: Section 3 removes several immunities for local and Federal law enforcement officers, which may increase their personal legal vulnerability when performing their duties.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Increases police accountability, which is a critical issue for African American communities. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Increases police accountability, which is a critical issue for Hispanic American communities. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Improves general civil rights accountability for all minority groups. Would immigrants be better off under this? — Protects individuals from unchecked law enforcement abuses. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Improves general civil rights accountability for all minority groups. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Urban areas often have higher interactions with law enforcement, benefiting from higher accountability. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Provides better legal recourse for those who may lack resources to fight qualified immunity.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this change how police departments operate? — Directly removes qualified immunity defenses and lowers the burden of proof for criminal liability in death cases. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Increases accountability for law enforcement, which historically impacts marginalized communities.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — Increases the ability of victims to seek legal redress for rights violations.
- 2/4/2026
- Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1989)
- 1/30/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.