Bill exempts body camera from public record

Published 6:56 am Thursday, May 19, 2016

BATON ROUGE — A House committee approved legislation Wednesday that would exempt video or audio footage from body cameras worn by police from public records laws.

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The House and Governmental Affairs Committee moved Senate Bill 398, by Sen. Ronnie Johns, R-Sulphur, favorably with amendments, sending it to the House floor. The Senate voted 29-4 to approve the measure May 4.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The measure would apply to body camera footage that isn’t part of a pending criminal proceeding. Footage would only be disclosed with a valid court order after a hearing where the law enforcement agency is allowed to respond.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Basically there are certain unintended consequences that can come from the use of a body camera,” Johns said. “I think body cameras are a great tool … but there are just some private situations where we think it needs to be held private.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Currently, footage used as evidence in a pending criminal case is exempt from public disclosure.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The legislation also exempts body camera footage from an officer who is working a private security detail.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Johns said he has worked closely with the Louisiana Press Association and the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters on the bill.</span>

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