WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — House Democrats approved the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in a largely party-line vote Wednesday.
The legislation narrowly passed by a 220-212 margin.
The police reform bill would ban neck restraints and no-knock warrants in federal drug cases. The move for reform comes after Floyd died while police custody in Minneapolis last May.
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Earlier in the week, the Biden administration announced it would support the bill.
Palm Beach County activists call this a step in the right direction. However, they believe the focus should also be on unity.
WPTV spoke last summer with activist David Rae, co-founder of The Time is Now Florida, following the tragic killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Floyd.
Those are just some of the names that pushed Rae to speak up about racial injustice.
"Through finding my voice, I've just been continuously involved in organizing and trying to bring resources to the community," Rae said.
Now, the bill named after Floyd is giving Rae some hope.
"It’s a very bittersweet feeling for me. I do feel like, overall, it's a step in the right direction," Rae said.
The police reform bill would also overhaul "qualified immunity" protections for law enforcement officers.
"Personally, I believe justice does need to be served," activist Jai Allen-Ible said.
She is the founder of the Uproar Project, a non-profit that promotes social justice and unity.
"It’s not about the police being bad. It's not about Black people deserving more power. It's about everyone being able to co-exist," Allen-Ible said.
"But we have to stay unified, and we have to stay together, and now we have to figure out ... what does that mean here for me in my city? So, specifically West Palm Beach and South Florida," Rae said.
The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate where it needs at least 10 Republican votes to move forward and reach Biden's desk before it can become law.
