Bowling Green Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Morgan McGarvey are set to reintroduce the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act in the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively. The legislation aims to prohibit no-knock warrants, a practice that allows law enforcement officials to enter a home without announcing their authority or purpose.

Dr. Paul expressed his support for the bill, stating, "It’s long past time to get rid of no-knock warrants. This bill will effectively end no-knock raids in the United States, and I’m pleased to work with Rep. McGarvey and Sen. Booker on this important legislation.”

Rep. McGarvey, reflecting on the tragic death of Breonna Taylor, remarked, “Louisvillians remember Breonna Taylor and are still grieving the tragedy of her inexcusable killing by police. After Breonna’s death, we passed a ban on no-knock warrants at the state and local level — if we can do this in Kentucky, we can do this nationally. I’m proud to partner with Senators Rand Paul and Cory Booker to move this important bill forward in the House and Senate. The Justice for Breonna Taylor Act is going to protect people and keep our communities safe.”

Senator Cory Booker, an original cosponsor of the Senate version of the legislation, emphasized the importance of reform, saying, “Breonna Taylor’s horrific death nearly four years ago was a flashpoint in our country’s conscience for the need for policing reform. No knock entries where police barge into a home unannounced are one of the most inherently dangerous, and often deadly, law enforcement practices for communities and for officers.”

The Justice for Breonna Taylor Act, named in memory of Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot during a police raid in 2020, would require law enforcement officers to provide notice of their authority and purpose before executing a warrant. The bill would apply to federal as well as state or local law enforcement agencies receiving funds from the Department of Justice.

Dr. Paul and Rep. McGarvey are continuing their efforts on the federal level to address the use of no-knock warrants, following Kentucky's lead in passing limitations on this practice in 2021. The reintroduction of this legislation comes after a press conference hosted by Sen. Paul and Rep. McGarvey in Louisville, Kentucky, as they prepare to advance the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act in Congress.