This bill strengthens the Justice Department's ability to investigate and address patterns of discrimination in policing and other criminal justice agencies. It authorizes $445 million annually from 2025 through 2034 to the Civil Rights Division for enforcement and technical assistance, plus an additional $150 million per year to create a grant program that helps states conduct their own investigations into discriminatory policing practices. The legislation expands who can be investigated to include prosecutors, judges, and other justice system officials, not just police officers, and requires that settlement agreements with police departments include community oversight bodies comprised of non-law enforcement members who can review compliance and make recommendations. The bill also encourages settlement agreements to include broader remedies beyond police reforms, such as mental health services and community-based restorative justice programs, and allows states to use grant funds to develop alternative public safety programs that reduce reliance on police, such as social worker and behavioral health crisis response teams.
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