Alabama lawmakers recently approved more legal protections for police officers amid warnings by Democrats that it will lead to more cases of police brutality against Black citizens.
Announced late last week, the “Back The Blue” bill was approved 25-6 in its final hour of debate. The House of Representatives reportedly accepted the Senate changes, moving the bill to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk. After showing public support for it, Ivey is expected to sign it into law.
Under the legislation, more protections will be provided to police officers who make “split-second decisions,” giving them an immunity hearing where judges can decide whether they acted outside of their duties. The same would apply to state civil lawsuits.
With the passage of the bill, many lawmakers and activists are speaking out about how it could be used as “a green light to kill Black folks,” as it would protect the officers who are racist or make impulsive decisions in complex situations.
At the debate, Black lawmakers read the names of all those killed by police and told of their own experiences with law enforcement. Pleasant Grove Democratic Sen. Merika Coleman expressed her own concerns about what the bill would mean for her honors student son, whose looks may be used to profile him as a threat.
“If this bill passes and there are young Black males, females, brown and other folks killed, you will have blood on your hands because of this piece of legislation,” said Coleman, per ABC News.
The passage of the bill comes amidst increases in cases of police brutality, particularly amongst Black U.S. citizens. According to the University of Illinois in Chicago, an estimated 250,000 citizens are injured by law enforcement annually. Over 600 people are fatally injured and killed each year.
Alabama’s HB202 – cynically dubbed the “Back the Blue” bill – sailed through a supermajority legislature (25–6 in the Senate, 73–28 in the House ) with barely a pause for debate. Supporters boast it will “restore some faith in our officers” and “help recruit the best and… https://t.co/mgnwppjwB3
— Brent M. Bailey (@bmarcellbailey) May 17, 2025
In 2025 alone, 437 people were killed by the police; only one day was reported as having no deaths.
Approximately 25% of the people killed by the police are Black men, despite making up only 6% of the U.S. population. Overall, Black citizens are 2.8 times more likely to pass away at the hands of law enforcement.
In Alabama alone, Black Alabamians are 1.5 times more likely to be killed.
With the passage of the latest bill, lawmakers warn that the statistics will increase.
“HB 202 is a license to kill Black people,” said Birmingham Sen. Rodger Smitherman per ABC News. “That’s what it is.”
