Louisiana House Bill 609 (HB609), introduced by Representative Edmond Jordan on April 2 and amended in a Committee on Civil Law and Procedure on May 4, would create a process for Louisianans to sue police officers, corrections officers, contractors, court security and other peace officers for excessive force and other violations of individual rights. The bill creates a cause of action for individuals to sue such officers for claims of physical injury, personal injury, or wrongful death in state courts under the laws of both the Constitution of Louisiana and the Constitution of the United States of America. The cause of action created by HB609 would not allow defendants to utilize the doctrine of qualified immunity as a defense.
This elimination of qualified immunity (QI) at the state level would be hugely significant for Louisianans impacted by police violence and misconduct, as it would provide an alternative avenue for recourse through the state courts that would not be hampered by the QI doctrine that shields police officers from accountability at the federal level.