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In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd (note the conviction of Derek Chauvin on April 21, 2021) and the civil unrest that followed, Americans remain divided on the issues of race, criminal justice, and the police. In fact, given the current cultural and political climate, it seems difficult if not impossible to have meaningful dialogue about these issues that result in concrete, meaningful action steps. And that is why I am intrigued by the story of HB 1006, a 2021 criminal justice reform and police support bill that passed unanimously through the Indiana House of Representatives and Senate and was signed by Governor Holcomb in April of 2021. Supporters included the Fraternal Order of Police and the Black Legislative Caucus.
In part 1 of this story, I discuss HB 1006 with Rep. Steuerwald (R-Danville), who authored this bill, partnered closely with Rep. Robin Shackleford (D – Indianapolis) and the Black Legislative Caucus and helpedshepherd the legislation through the Indiana House of Representatives and Senate. In part 2 (scheduled to release next week), we will talk with Rep. Shackleford about her side of the story.
Key Takeaways:
- Here is a link to Rep. Steuerwald’s full bio and a list of the committees he serves on.
- His previous effort to overhaul the Indiana criminal code and how that legislation set the groundwork for the 2021 bill.
- The events that prompted him to investigate criminal justice reforms and needed police support measures, and the comprehensive/exhaustive measures he took to connect with key players and organizations in Indiana.
- How the partnership with Rep. Shackleford developed, and why this was a critical part of the effort.
- The key components of the bill, including the following: mandatory police training in de-escalation, a change to the use of chokeholds, police officer decertification procedures, changes to the sharing of police officer employment records (hiring police agencies were often unable to obtain employment records from previous agencies), funding for body cams and $70 million to repair and update the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. For the full details of the bill, here is the actual legislation.
- Reflections on the day the legislation passed unanimously in the Indiana House of Representatives.
- How other states can use this bill/law as a model.