This op-ed by SPN Executive Vice President Tony Woodlief first published at Governing.
As American cities are torn by protests over the deaths of George Floyd and other African Americans at the hands of police, much of the nation’s attention is focused on remedies from Congress. In the House alone, some 50 bills are under discussion to address injustices that have sparked anger and despair.
Some of these reforms are much needed, such as changing a qualified immunity rule for law enforcement officers that was invented by the Supreme Court and imposed on states, and halting the Justice Department program that incentivizes police departments to engage in military-style campaigns against illegal drugs and immigrants. But until state leaders — and particularly attorneys general — step up, things aren’t going to get much better.
