Qualified Immunity Accountability Act

This bill amends federal law concerning the deprivation of rights under color of law, specifically 18 U.S.C. 242. It revises the mental state required for prosecution in cases where such deprivation results in death, changing the standard from " willfully " to " knowingly or recklessly ." Furthermore, the bill clarifies that an act "resulted in death" if it was a substantial factor contributing to the person's death, broadening the scope of accountability. The legislation also enacts significant reforms to qualified immunity under 42 U.S.C. 1983, which governs civil actions for deprivation of rights. It explicitly states that certain defenses will no longer be available to local and federal law enforcement officers. Specifically, officers cannot claim immunity based on acting in good faith or believing their conduct was lawful, nor can they argue that the violated rights were not clearly established at the time of the incident.