A new certification system for police officers, a ban on chokeholds, and limits on the use of no-knock warrants, tear gas, and legal protections against civil lawsuits known as qualified immunity — these are just some of the provisions in the comprehensive police reform bill passed by the state’s House of Representatives Friday night.
Of the local state representatives, Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead), Ted Speliotis (D-Danvers), and RoseLee Vincent (D-Revere) voted in favor of H.4860, while Dan Cahill (D-Lynn), Peter Capano (D-Lynn), Bradley Jones (R-North Reading), Thomas Walsh (D-Peabody), and Donald Wong (R-Saugus) voted against the bill. Overall, the bill passed with 93 in favor and 66 opposed.
“I think there’s a lot of great things in the bill,” said Capano, who supports certain parts of the bill, such as curbing the use of no-knock warrants. “The majority of the bill is great.”
However, Capano said he could not vote for the bill because of concern among labor groups that the bill hurts public safety workers’ collective bargaining power.
Cahill said he had heard more feedback from constituents on this bill than on any other bill, and there was a “great lack of consensus” regarding support for the bill.
Cahill said he could not vote for the bill in good faith because of the number of his constituents who oppose it.
Ehrlich said she is glad Massachusetts made active changes to its policing following the “heart-wrenching murder of George Floyd” at the hands of Minneapolis Police on May 25, which was recorded and sparked nationwide protests over police brutality and racial violence.
Ehrlich said she is glad the bill covered “a lot of territory,” and that the bill was passed after input from constituents and law enforcement.
“This has been an open and transparent process,” Ehrlich said. “But we can’t bring back George Floyd or any of the countless people of color who should be alive.”
Wong, however, voted against the bill, even after “three long days” of deliberation. Wong released a brief statement after the bill’s passage, and said he “personally wished we had more time to work on this bill. As is, I think there could have been more improvements,” but did not elaborate further. Wong also said he was thankful that the votes against the bill were bipartisan.
Walsh was another in opposition to the bill, and he said removing qualified immunity “puts police in a dangerous situation.”
“They have to make split-second decisions and shouldn’t have to worry if they’re going to be sued for it,” he said.
The bill’s passage follows weeks of debate and the passage of the senate’s version of the bill. Legislators will now try and come up with a single version of the bill to put forth for Gov. Charlie Baker to sign.
