Cardin addresses “BALTIMORE Act” on Senate floor

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) addressed the Senate floor today to discuss his proposal of the “BALTIMORE” Act. The bill is an acronym , standing for “Building And Lifting Trust In order to Multiply Opportunities and Racial Equality.”

Cardin’s bill contains four facets, all inspired by the Freddie Gray decision and the violence that followed.

The first title, Law Enforcement Reform, aims to end racial profiling by better identifying racial and ethnic bias in law enforcement. The bill proposes that police wear body cameras, and that training video be sent to the Department of Justice to be reviewed.

The second title, Voting Rights Reform and Civil Rights Restoration, aims to ease the re-entry for ex-prisoners into society, by allowing them to vote and potentially influence the political decisions being made around them.

Third, a Sentencing Law Reform, would reclassify punishment for smaller, non-violent crimes, and eliminate the distinction between crack and powder cocaine for sentencing.

The fourth title, Re-Entry and Employment Law Reform, includes a portion that allows for non-profits to apply for grants, and aid to ex-prisoners looking for employment after their release.