Stealth caption bill would block citizen access to police body cam footage, prevent restrictions on surveillance
A stealth caption bill that seeks to lock down citizen access to police body cam and dashcam footage has emerged late in session and will be heard in two key committees on Wednesday. The bill allows a law enforcement agency to delete most body cam and dashcam footage after 30 days and prevents local restrictions on police surveillance, such as facial recognition systems and drones. The bill, as revised, would be a dramatic step away from transparency, allowing police complete discretion over how it handles body camera footage and what is released and not released, even to the citizens directly affected in a police confrontation.