Texas Lawmakers Advance Bill Granting Immunity for ‘Less Lethal’ Police Violence

The Texas Civil Rights Project sharply criticized the Texas Legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 2570, a controversial measure that would grant sweeping immunity to law enforcement and corrections officers who cause serious harm using so-called “less lethal” weapons. The bill now heads to Governor Greg Abbott for signature.

According to a press release from TCRP, SB 2570 will make it nearly impossible to prosecute officers who injure or kill civilians with weapons like stun guns, tear gas, batons, or bean bag rounds, so long as they claim to have “reasonably believed” their actions were necessary to perform official duties. The legislation eliminates previous legal safeguards that required such force to be used only in immediate self-defense, defense of others, or during lawful arrests or searches.

“This bill sends a chilling message: Texas officers can seriously hurt people with batons or tear gas and walk away with no accountability, so long as they claim they were ‘doing their job’,” said Chris Harris, Associate Director of Advocacy at the Texas Civil Rights Project. He described SB 2570 as a “dangerous regression” that threatens public trust and heightens vulnerability for communities, particularly those engaged in protest against police violence.

So while the new law wouldn’t apply to the kind of physical force that killed George Floyd, it does cover the weapons widely used against demonstrators protesting his death. In cities like Austin and Dallas, officers were criminally charged for excessive force during those protests, charges that, under SB 2570, would likely be blocked.

Last year, after being convicted of murdering protester Garrett Foster during a 2020 demonstration in Austin, former U.S. Army sergeant Daniel Perry was granted a full pardon by Texas Gov. Abbott, following a recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. Perry, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in May 2023, claimed he acted in self-defense under Texas’s “Stand Your Ground” law after shooting Foster, who was legally carrying an AK-47. The case drew national attention and political pressure from conservative figures, including Tucker Carlson, who argued Perry’s conviction was politically motivated. Although court documents later revealed Perry had sent racist and violent messages about protesters, the parole board cited a thorough review of the case in its recommendation. Gov. Abbott, who rarely issues pardons, also restored Perry’s firearm rights as part of the decision.

The Texas Civil Rights Project is urging Gov. Abbott to reconsider signing the bill and calls on Texans to speak out for meaningful police accountability. “With this vote, lawmakers have chosen to shield officers from accountability rather than protect the people they are sworn to serve,” stated Harris.