Kai Kahele on Crime

Sponsored stricter rules for police accountability.

This bill addresses policing practices and law enforcement accountability:

• lowers the criminal intent standard--from willful to knowing or reckless--to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution,
• limits qualified immunity as a defense to liability in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer, and
• grants administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in pattern-or-practice investigations.

Rep. Elise Stefanik in OPPOSITION (3/1/21): I voted against H.R. 1280--this bill poses a grave danger to law-abiding police officers, as it would eliminate qualified immunity protections, lower the standard for federal civil rights lawsuits, and limit access to necessary equipment during emergencies and natural disasters. Democrats rushed this bill to the House Floor without accepting any input from Republicans, expert testimony, or significant data. I am proud to sponsor the JUSTICE Act with Senator Tim Scott, to provide necessary reforms to end police brutality while protecting our law-abiding officers.

OnTheIssues explanation of "qualified immunity": "Qualified immunity" means that police officers (and other government officials) cannot be sued for actions on duty, unless knowingly taking unreasonable actions. This bill would limit "qualified immunity," which means the family in cases like George Floyd's could sue the police for civil damages.

Biden Administration in SUPPORT (3/1/21): We must begin by rebuilding trust between law enforcement and the people they are entrusted to serve and protect. We cannot rebuild that trust if we do not hold police officers accountable for abuses of power and tackle systemic misconduct--and systemic racism--in police departments.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 220-212-0 on March 3, 2021, rollcall #60; received in Senate on March 9; no further Senate action during 2021.

Click here for definitions & background information on Crime. Click here for a summary of all issue stances of Kai Kahele. Click here for a Wikipedia profile of Kai Kahele. Click here for a Ballotpedia profile of Kai Kahele. Click here for VoteMatch responses by Kai Kahele. Click here for issue positions of other HI politicians. Click here for HI primary archives. Click here for HI secondary archives.
Other governors on Crime:			Kai Kahele on other issues:
HI Gubernatorial: Andria Tupola Bob McDermott Colleen Hanabusa David Ige Duke Aiona John Carroll Josh Green Kirk Caldwell Marissa Kerns Neil Abercrombie Paul Morgan Tulsi Gabbard Vicky Cayetano HI Senatorial: Bob McDermott Brian Schatz Cam Cavasso Eddie Pirkowski John Carroll Linda Lingle Mazie Hirono Ron Curtis	Gubernatorial Debates 2021: CA Recall: S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R) vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R) vs.Former U.S.Rep Doug Ose(R) vs.Laura Smith(R) vs.Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner(R) vs.Radio Host Larry Elder(R) vs.Kevin Paffrath(D) vs.Gavin Newsom(D) NJ: Incumbent Phil Murphy(D) vs.State Rep. Jack Ciattarelli(R) vs.Candidate Hirsh Singh(R) vs.GOP Chair Doug Steinhardt(R) VA: Incumbent Ralph Northam(D,term-limited) vs.Former Governor Terry McAuliffe(D) vs.CEO Glenn Youngkin(R) vs.A.G. Mark Herring(D) vs.State Sen. Amanda Chase(I) vs.Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax(D) vs.State Rep. Jennifer Carroll Foy(D) vs.State Rep. Lee Carter(D) vs.State Sen. Jennifer McClellan(D) vs.State Rep. Kirk Cox(R) vs.CEO Pete Snyder(R) Gubernatorial Debates 2023: KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D) vs.Former Gov. Matt Bevin(? R) vs.Senator Rand Paul(? R) vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R) LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited) vs.Biden Adviser Cedric Richmond(? D) vs.Senator John Neely Kennedy(? R) MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R) vs.Bill Waller(R) Gubernatorial Debates 2022: AK: Incumbent Mike Dunleavy(R) vs.Bill Walker(I) vs.Les Gara(D) vs.Billy Toien(L) vs.State Rep. Chris Kurka(R) AL: Incumbent Kay Ivey(R) vs.Chris Countryman(D) vs.Stacy Lee George(R) vs.Ambassador Lynda Blanchard(R) vs.State Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier(D) vs.Challenger Tim James(R) AR: Incumbent Asa Hutchinson(R,term-limited) vs.Trump Adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R) vs.A.G. Leslie Rutledge(R,withdrew Nov.2021) vs.Ricky Dale Harrington(L) vs.Anthony Bland(D) AZ: Incumbent Doug Ducey(R,term-limited) Mayor Marco Lopez(D) vs.Former news anchor Kari Lake(R) vs.Secretary of State Katie Hobbs(D) vs.State Treasurer Kimberly Yee(R) vs.U.S.Rep.Matt Salmon(R) vs.Steve Gaynor(R) vs.State Rep.Aaron Lieberman(D) vs.Jorge Rivas(R) vs.Karrin Taylor Robson(R) CA: Incumbent Gavin Newsom(D) vs.S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R) vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R) vs.Kevin Paffrath(D) vs.State Sen. Brian Dahle(R) CO: Incumbent Jared Polis(D) vs.Mayor Greg Lopez(R) vs.Heidi Ganahl(R) CT: Incumbent Ned Lamont(D) vs.Bob Stefanowski(? R) FL: Incumbent Ron DeSantis(R) vs.Former Gov.Charlie Crist(D) vs.Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried(D) vs.Annette Taddeo(D) vs.Brian Moore(G) GA: Incumbent Brian Kemp(R) vs.Minority Leader Stacey Abrams(D) vs.Senate candidate Shane Hazel(L) vs.State Rep.Vernon Jones(R) vs.2020 candidate Kandiss Taylor(R) vs.Senator David Perdue(R) HI: Incumbent David Ige(D,term-limited) vs.Marissa Kerns(R) vs.Lt.Gov.Josh Green(D) vs.Vicky Cayetano(D) vs.Paul Morgan(R) vs.State Rep.Kirk Caldwell(D) vs.U.S.Rep.Kai Kahele(D) IA: Incumbent Kim Reynolds(R) vs.Deidre DeJear(D) vs.State Rep.Ras Smith(D) ID: Incumbent Brad Little(R) vs.Stephen Heidt(D) vs.Raul Labrador(R) vs.Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin(R) vs.Ammon Bundy(R) vs.Ed Humphreys(R) IL: Incumbent J.B. Pritzker(D) vs.State Sen.Darren Bailey(R) vs.Paul Schimpf(R) vs.Jesse Sullivan(R) KS: Incumbent Laura Kelly(D) vs.Jeff Colyer(R) vs.State Sen.Derek Schmidt(R) vs.Chase LaPorte(R)	Gubernatorial Debates 2022 (continued): MA: Incumbent Charlie Baker(R) vs.Lt.Gov.Karyn Polito(R) vs.State Rep. Geoff Diehl(R) vs.Harvard Professor Danielle Allen(D) vs.State Sen.Ben Downing(D) vs.State Sen.Sonia Chang-Diaz(D) vs.Shiva Ayyadurai(I) vs.A.G. Maura Healey(D) MD: Incumbent Larry Hogan(R,term-limited) vs.State Del.Robin Ficker(R) vs.State Del.Peter Franchot(D) vs.State Del.Kelly M. Schulz(R) vs.Secretary John B. King(D) vs.Ashwani Jain(D) vs.State A.G. Doug Gansler(D) vs.County Exec. Rushern Baker(D) vs.Secretary Thomas Perez(D) vs.Wes Moore(D) vs.Dan Cox(R) ME: Incumbent Janet Mills(D) vs.Former Gov. Paul LePage(R) MI: Incumbent Gretchen Whitmer(D) vs.Chief James Craig(R) vs.Police Chief Tudor Dixon(R) vs.Garrett Soldano(R) vs.John E. James(? R) MN: Incumbent Tim Walz(DFL) vs.Mayor Mike Murphy(R) vs.State Sen.Scott Jensen(R) vs.Michelle Benson(R) vs.Paul Gazelka(R) NE: Incumbent Pete Ricketts(R,term-limited) vs.U.S.Senator Bob Krist(R) vs.Chuck Herbster(R) vs.Jim Pillen(R) vs.Brett Lindstrom(R) vs.Carol Blood(D) vs.State Sen. Theresa Thibodeau(R) NH: Incumbent Chris Sununu(R) vs.Dan Feltes(D) vs.Karen Testerman(R) NM: Incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham(D) vs.Commissioner Jay Block(R) vs.State Rep.Rebecca Dow(R) vs.Mark Ronchetti(R) NV: Incumbent Steve Sisolak(D) vs.A.G.Adam Laxalt(R) vs.North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee(R) vs.Dean Heller(R) vs.Joe Lombardo(R) vs.Mayor Michele Fiore(R) NY: Incumbent Andrew Cuomo(D,resigned) vs.Acting Gov.Kathy Hochul(D) vs.Rob Astorino(R) vs.Andrew Giuliani(R) vs.US.Rep.Lee Zeldin(R) vs.Tom Suozzi(D) vs.Attorney General Letitia James(D) OH: Incumbent Mike DeWine(R) vs.Former Rep.Jim Renacci(R) vs.Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley(D) vs.Mayor John Cranley(D) OK: Incumbent Kevin Stitt(R) vs.State Sen. Ervin Yen(R) vs.Connie Johnson(D) vs.Joy Hofmeister(D) vs.Natalie Bruno(L) OR: Incumbent Kate Brown(D,term-limited) vs.Gov. nominee Bud Pierce(R) vs.Paul Romero(R) vs.Casey Kulla(D) vs.Kerry McQuisten(R) vs.Tina Kotek(D) vs.Nicholas Kristof(D) vs.Tobias Read(D) vs.State Rep. Christine Drazan(R) vs.Julian Bell(D) PA: Incumbent Tom Wolf(D,term-limited) vs.U.S.Rep. Lou Barletta(R) vs.Commissioner Joe Gale(R) vs.A.G.Josh Shapiro(D) vs.William McSwain(R) vs.U.S.Rep.Melissa Hart(R) vs.State Sen.Scott Martin(R) vs.State Sen. Scott Martin(R) vs.State Sen. Doug Mastriano(R) RI: Incumbent Gina Raimondo(D,to Cabinet) vs.Gov. Dan McKee(D) vs.Secy.Matt Brown(D) vs.Mayor Allan Fung(R ?) vs.Luis-Daniel Munoz(D) vs.RI Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea(D) vs.Seth Magainer(D) vs.Helena Foulkes(D) SC: Incumbent Henry McMaster(R) vs.US.Rep.Joe Cunningham(D) vs.State senator Mia McLeod(D) SD: Incumbent Kristi Noem(R) vs.State Rep. Billie Sutton(? D) vs.Speaker Steven Haugaard(R) TN: Incumbent Bill Lee(R) vs.Carnita Atwater(D) vs.J B Smiley(D) TX: Incumbent Greg Abbott(R) vs.Beto O`Rourke(D) vs.Chad Prather(R) vs.State Sen.Don Huffines(R) vs.U.S.Rep. Allen West(R) vs.Deidre Gilbert(D) VT: Incumbent Phil Scott(R) (no prospective opponents yet) WI: Incumbent Tony Evers(D) vs.CEO Jonathan Wichmann(R) vs.Rebecca Kleefisch(R) vs.State Rep. Timothy Ramthun(R) WY: Incumbent Mark Gordon(R) vs.Rex Rammell(R) vs.Minority Leader Chris Rothfuss(? D)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty