VT Senate Passes Police Reform Bills

The Vermont Senate has passed a bill that would implement new police use-of-force guidelines, reports the Associated Press.

The bill would ban officers from using choke-holds and likewise maneuvers, as well as requiring officers to intervene if they witness a fellow officer using prohibited restraint. On Wednesday, a second bill was given approval that requires law enforcement agencies in the state to comply with racial data reporting requirements.

While VT legislators have reportedly been considering similar proposals for a while now, they felt an urgency to pass these measures in the wake of the recent deaths of George Floyd and other POC (people of color) at the hands of police.

Both bills will now need to pass through the House of Representatives.