Bipartisan group of lawmakers meeting to discuss police reform

Washington — A bipartisan group of lawmakers is meeting Thursday to discuss potential police reform legislation, kicking off formal negotiations the day after President Biden called on Congress to pass a bill by the end of May.

The meeting on Capitol Hill will include Republican Senators Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham, Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Dick Durbin, and Democratic Representatives Karen Bass and Josh Gottheimer, according to three sources familiar with the meeting. Two additional House members are also expected to attend the meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Bass is the lead sponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a comprehensive reform bill that has passed in the House but faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Most Republicans oppose a provision which would overhaul qualified immunity, making it easier to bring litigation against law enforcement officers.