STATE REP. TO INTRODUCE BILL INSPIRED BY SANDRA BLAND
A state representative is planning on introducing a new bill inspired by the death of Sandra Bland when the Texas Legislature meets next year.
State Rep. Garnet Coleman, a Democrat who represents House District 147, says the Sandra Bland Act aims on reforming how officials handle investigations. Coleman says his proposal would change racial profiling- prohibiting police from stopping black drivers on minor grounds. Furthermore, it would prohibit jailing a person for a minor traffic violations.
Coleman says it would also mandate de-escalation training for state troopers, which is something DPS officials have said is already in place.
The bill would also introduce changes in rural jails across the state. The changes, which have been implemented in the Waller County Jail since Bland’s death, include swipe cards that would prohibit guards from falsifying cell checks and the creation of a new comprehensive jail intake form.
This comes as Geneva Reed-Veal, Sandra Bland’s mother, recently received $1.9 million from a federal wrongful death settlement with Waller County and state officials.
28-year-old Bland was stopped by a Department of Public Safety Trooper in Waller County in July of 2015. The stop escalated to Bland’s arrest. Three days later, she was found dead in her jail cell in Hempstead. Her death was ruled a suicide.
Sandra Bland was not arrested for a minor traffic violation. She was arrested for her poor behavior and actions following being detained for a minor traffic violation. It is impossible to regulate poor decision making. I am sure that both Bland and the officer would do things differently if allowed to go back in time.
The bill should say no one should be stopped without a valid reason. Over the years, I’ve been stopped for my license plate light being out in the daytime, signaling to turn 90 ft before the turn, and just to see where I was going at 11 PM. I never got a ticket, but I felt like it was nonsense not racism. Everyone needs to stop putting a color on everything, and treat all citizens fairly.
If you don’t want to be stopped for minor offenses, then don’t commit minor offenses. Very simple. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. We don’t need more laws that cause confusion on the part of the men and women of law enforcement as to what constitutes a minor offense and what doesn’t. Their mandate is simple, enforce the laws.
The bill would be racist flat out choosing one race to not be pulled over for infractions of the law, it would be taken to the state supreme court hopefully. It will never pass anyway. Just another political stunt trying to get in the news.
“Prohibiting police from stopping black drivers on minor grounds…” So in response to something people perceived as racist behavior, he wants to pass a law that is inherently racist? Either the traffic laws apply to everyone or no one; there cannot seriously be a law saying “drivers must signal before changing lanes, with the exception of people of African-American descent.” Utter garbage that won’t (and can’t) pass. The legislator responsible probably knows this and is just trying to get his name in some headlines.
Really ^^? Yes REALLY and that is a great what Rep. COLEMAN is doing for our society point blank! And yes I do agree with ‘hopeful’ yes this should stop a lot of the minor traffic stops and just minor incidents period. Hopefully the citizens will also do their parts as in not committing such events that lead up to things like this. And yes jail officials should be properly trained and should be made to demonstrate tactic skills of the training they have received, monthly to prevent such tragic and careless situations unlike this case that led to an unnecessary death of a citizen. This is just my opinion…
Ok Genius u r trying to pass this bill that will impact small counties with tight budgets as it is; you don’t mention how these counties are gonna pay for these swipe card etc. I am all for saving someone’s life however as a citizen I am tired of being taxed to death by all these new laws legislators want to pass and then pass the cost to the citizens of said county!!!
Maybe if her mother would have spent LESS than $500 to bail her out of jail, she wouldn’t have spent time there.
And why don’t we just let everyone off on minor crimes? What constitutes a minor crime? In fact, why have laws? Let’s just let folks run amok.
Maybe we could also make it a crime to not bond your child out of jail for a couple of hundred dollars after they have been jailed on a minor crime. This would have probably saved a life in this case.
Thank you Rep. Coleman for providing meaningful legislation. Hopefully the state house will see that the bill will help prevent tragic and costly matters such as this from repeating.
REALLY? ? That’s all I’m going to say…