Sponsors
The bill empowers state attorneys general to fill enforcement gaps and secure injunctions and damages for civil-rights victims, improving accountability, but at the cost of greater litigation exposure, potential politicization of enforcement, and uneven outcomes across states.
Residents harmed by civil-rights violations (including racial and disability communities) gain a new federal enforcement route as State attorneys general can seek injunctions and recover compensatory and punitive damages on their behalf.
When federal prosecutors decline to act, State attorneys general have an affirmative avenue to pursue remedies, increasing accountability for civil-rights violations by state and local actors.
Law enforcement agencies and local governments may face politically motivated or opportunistic lawsuits brought by State attorneys general, which could chill aggressive policing or other public-service actions.
Increased litigation risk will likely raise defense costs for local governments and law enforcement, shifting financial burdens onto municipal budgets and taxpayers.
Different priorities among State attorneys general could produce inconsistent legal outcomes across states, creating uncertainty for officials and officers about permissible practices.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows State attorneys general to bring federal civil lawsuits on behalf of residents for harms from violations of federal civil-rights criminal statutes, seeking injunctions and damages including punitive awards.
Introduced February 10, 2026 by Cory Anthony Booker · Last progress February 10, 2026
Creates a new civil enforcement route by letting State attorneys general sue in federal district court on behalf of state residents for harms tied to violations of two federal criminal civil-rights statutes (conspiracy against rights and deprivation of rights under color of law). State AGs may seek injunctive relief or damages, including punitive damages when the defendant acted maliciously, oppressively, or with reckless disregard. The measure adds a parens patriae civil cause of action to 18 U.S.C. § 241 and § 242: for §241 the State AG can sue when there is reasonable cause to believe persons suffered bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death; for §242 the AG can sue when there is reasonable cause to believe persons are being, have been, or may be injured by conduct under color of law. The text does not create new criminal penalties, allocate funding, or set implementation deadlines.