{"id":205097,"date":"2026-04-21T19:47:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T19:47:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/205097\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T19:47:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T19:47:07","slug":"civil-rights-advocates-demand-an-end-to-qualified-immunity-in-new-york","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/205097\/","title":{"rendered":"Civil Rights Advocates Demand an End to Qualified Immunity in New York"},"content":{"rendered":"

Read a PDF of our statement here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

(Albany, NY) \u2013 Today, civil rights organizations, legal groups, and advocates convened in Albany to demand an end to qualified immunity and call for the passage of Senate Bill S176 and Assembly Bill A1402. If passed into law, these bills would eliminate qualified immunity as a defense in New York State court cases. Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that shields government officials and denies justice to victims of government misconduct, including victims of law enforcement and prison officials.<\/p>\n

The Campaign to End Qualified Immunity in New York launched \u00a0in 2020 in the wake of the horrifying killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Now, five years later, as constitutional protections erode at the federal level and the Supreme Court continues expanding qualified immunity, New York must step up to protect its residents\u2019 civil rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor too long, this doctrine has told too many New Yorkers that their pain is secondary and their rights negotiable. The time for symbolic concern has passed; the time for action is now,\u201d said State Senator Robert Jackson. \u201cI call on my colleagues to stand with the families, advocates, and communities who have carried this fight for years, and vote with urgency to pass the End Qualified Immunity bill. New York should lead with courage, not retreat into excuses. If the law protects power over people, then the law must change. Justice demands nothing less.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQualified immunity currently acts as a shield that protects people who abuse power and hampers individual New Yorkers from having their day in court by imposing extraordinary legal hurdles. Ending the doctrine would not only strengthen accountability and protect civil rights, but also improve public trust in lawful, transparent state government and law enforcement,\u201d said Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Pamela Hunter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEnding qualified immunity is not the final step, but it is a necessary one if we are serious about justice, transparency, and restoring trust in our systems. Accountability is how we build safer communities\u2014and how we strengthen the relationship between the public and those sworn to serve,\u201d said Assemblymember Stefani L. Zinerman<\/p>\n

\u201cAccountability is the foundation of public trust. A1402 ensures that when someone\u2019s rights are violated, they have a fair opportunity to seek justice. As a co-sponsor, I support this legislation because it reinforces a simple principle: in New York, no one is above the law, and protecting civil rights must always be a priority. Law enforcement plays a vital role in keeping our communities safe, but that responsibility must be matched with transparency and accountability. This bill is about ensuring that bad actors are not shielded, and that every New Yorker\u2019s rights are protected,\u201d said Assemblymember Noah Burroughs<\/p>\n

\u201cEnding qualified immunity is a necessary step for accountability and justice. I\u2019m proud to stand with the EndQI coalition and to continue the fight for New Yorkers\u2019 civil rights,\u201d said Senator Zellnor Myrie<\/p>\n

\u201cOfficial misconduct has contributed to more than half of New York\u2019s 251 exonerations, yet qualified immunity has blocked victims from getting the financial justice they deserve after being wrongfully convicted,\u201d said Keli Young, a State Policy Advocate at the Innocence Project. \u201cWith constitutional protections eroding at the federal level and Governor Hochul attempting to codify qualified immunity for the first time in state history, New York lawmakers must reject proposals that preserve this barrier and pass S176\/A1402. The vast majority of criminal prosecutions happen at the state and local level. New York has both the power and the responsibility to protect its residents\u2019 rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAccountability continues to be undercut by qualified immunity in ways that pose significant harm to Black communities. New York has a critical opportunity to address this injustice once and for all,\u201d said Kevin Jason, Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Legal Defense Fund. \u201cIt is long overdue for lawmakers in New York state to prioritize justice and eliminate a shield that has long resulted in law enforcement impunity. Qualified immunity must be ended, and we are hopeful that legislators in New York State are up to the task.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNew York has always been a place where people fight back. We will not allow qualified immunity to become the law of this state. When the government moves to protect those who harm our communities rather than the communities themselves, we have an obligation to show up, speak out, and demand better. The Justice League NYC stands firmly with every organizer, every survivor, and every family making their voice heard. This fight is far from over and we are not going anywhere,\u201d said Justice League NYC<\/p>\n

\u201cQualified immunity often acts as a get-out-of-jail-free card for police officers who violate people\u2019s constitutional rights,\u201d said Medha Raman, Legal Fellow at the New York Civil Liberties Union. \u201cBy letting certain police officers off the hook when engaging in misconduct, qualified immunity guts the power of the law, making it virtually impossible to hold officers accountable when they violate the law. New York must stop shielding cops from accountability and end qualified immunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnding qualified immunity won\u2019t stop good officers, it will stop bad behavior. The safety of law enforcement is contingent upon trust from the communities they serve; there can be no trust without accountability and an end to the absolute shield which\u00a0 is qualified immunity. Law enforcement credibility depends on accountability, not immunity. If the law protects power instead of people, it\u2019s time to change the law,\u201d said\u00a0 Westchester Coalition For Police Reform<\/p>\n

\u201cQualified immunity has blocked communities across New York from holding public officials accountable when they violate our rights. In New York State prisons, qualified immunity enables a culture of violence and impunity which tragically has led to the death of Robert Brooks and many other people in custody. It\u2019s been going on for decades. Passing S176\/A1402 would create real consequences for abuse and decrease prison violence. It\u2019s a damn shame that we are still fighting for these bills,\u201d said VOCAL-NY Community Leader Susan Shervington.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe time to do the right thing by ALL citizens of NYS is now. A concocted doctrine by the Supreme Court sends the wrong message: that you can get away with anything including murder with no threat of civil consequence. Too many families on all fronts, including our undocumented neighbors, have no hope of escaping the long arm of the law while qualified immunity exists,\u201d said Donna Robinson, New York State Jails Justice Network.<\/p>\n

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