Williams’ police reform bill passes House

HARRISBURG, June 24 – A police reform bill sponsored by State Rep. Dan Williams, D-Chester, that would bring about the most significant changes to Pennsylvania policing in at least 40 years unanimously passed the House today. The bill will now head to the state Senate for consideration.

Williams’ H.B. 1910 would update police training in several areas, including recognizing and reporting child abuse; de-escalation and harm reduction techniques; interacting with individuals of diverse racial, ethic, and economic backgrounds; and appropriate use of force. House Bill 1910 is one of 19 bills that members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus urged be considered by the House. The bill was unanimously approved by the House Judiciary Committee on Monday, June 15.

“Recently, our society has been questioning how our police force can better serve everyone. I’m proud to see my bill that aims to address some of these concerns, especially when protecting children, move on to the Senate and contribute to this mission,” Williams said. “Protecting and looking out for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents is not a political issue, but one that deserves our attention across the aisle and across the commonwealth.”

This is Williams’ first bill to clear a committee and pass the House since he took office in 2019.

“As a first-term representative in the minority party, it can be particularly difficult to see action on bills. However, I’m glad to see that working on policing and combatting child abuse in Pennsylvania was able to gain bipartisan support. This is not the end of our struggle, but an excellent step forward.”

For more information on William’s H.B. 1910, contact his office at (484) 200-8256.