James Talarico Laments That Texas Didn't Pass the George Floyd Act

Back in 2021, Congress tried to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Colloquially known as the George Floyd Act, it would have ended qualified immunity for law enforcement officers, lowered the criminal intent threshold for federal prosecution of police misconduct, banned so-called "racial profiling," created a national misconduct registry, changed the use of force standard from "reasonable" to "necessary," and banned no-knock warrants and chokeholds at the federal level. It also would have withheld federal funding from state and local law enforcement agencies that failed to also ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants.
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In Texas, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus tried to pass similar legislation. That version of the George Floyd Act would have also ended qualified immunity, banned chokeholds and limited high-level force applications, and mandated that law enforcement officers have a duty to intervene if their fellow officer utilized illegal or excessive force.
It was, in essence, a de facto defunding and abolition of the police, as few law enforcement officers would have remained on the job under such onerous rules and regulations. Thankfully, both iterations of the George Floyd Act failed.
But there's at least one Democrat who is sad about that: James Talarico.
Talarico lamented that Texas failed to pass that legislation during a campaign stop.
James Talarico complains about the George Floyd Act failing to pass — which would have ended qualified immunity for our brave law enforcement officers:
“The George Floyd Act didn’t even make it to the House floor…we failed to pass the George Floyd Act." pic.twitter.com/KdloHv1uOW
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 21, 2026
"We passed Javier Ambler's law, which bans reality TV policing in the state of Texas," Talarico said. "No longer can a reality TV show like Live PD or COPS contract with a law enforcement agency in Texas at any level: local, county, or state."
"But that same session ... the George Floyd Act didn't even make it to the House floor. So while we made progress for Javier, while we made progress in banning these reality TV policing programs, we failed to pass the George Floyd Act, which would have been transformational in ensuring that police officers are actually protecting and serving all of us."
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No, actually, the George Floyd Act would protect and serve violent criminals and hamstring law enforcement, rendering them incapable of protecting innocent citizens from criminals.
They name a horrible idea after a lifelong criminal who died in a hospital while full of fentanyl, far from any police officer, and don't understand why it doesn't become law.
— Scott (@pillstwit) July 21, 2026
It's a total mystery.
Why would you name a bill after a drug addict who held a gun to the head of a pregnant woman
— garnie (@garnie) July 21, 2026
Democrats like guys like George Floyd. Law enforcement officers and law-abiding citizens? Not so much.
For obvious reasons it didn't pass. Who would even do the job anymore without some kind of protection? Talarico is not a responsible candidate.
— James Horton (@HortonHortonhwy) July 21, 2026
As we said, it was a way to defund and dismantle the police without direct legislation to defund the police.
This boy is pure poison https://t.co/8l6TSyavfQ
— Marilyn (@Jaizem) July 21, 2026
Yes, he is.
LOL This Boy is splitting at the seams 🤣🤣 https://t.co/HhqSSLyGcL
— xuenchen (@xuen_chen) July 21, 2026
He was recently screamed at by Jasmine Crockett supporters, so his campaign is not going well.
Eliminating immunity for law officers would virtually end their ability to stop and arrest violent suspects, assaults, abuse of women and children, etc.
— Mitch (@MitchKC18) July 21, 2026
it’s just another attempt by Dems to reduce law enforcement and side with criminals https://t.co/j7Nmabq9qq
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It's painfully clear that Democrats will always side with criminals, and will pass legislation to do just that. The Democratic Socialists of America are even running on a platform of abolishing the police and prisons. How do you think that ends for the rest of us?
Not well, at all.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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