California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 1957


Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk

February 12, 2016


An act relating to public records.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1957, as introduced, Quirk. Public records: body-worn cameras.

The California Public Records Act requires that public records be open to inspection at all times during the office hours of a state or local agency and that every person has a right to inspect any public record, except as specifically provided. The act further requires that a reasonably segregable portion of a public record be available for inspection by any person requesting the public record after deletion of the portions that are exempted by law.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to revise the act so that images captured by body-worn cameras of peace officers depicting use of force or death are released to the public if it is determined that the interest in public disclosure outweighs the need to protect the individual right to privacy.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P1    1

SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
2legislation to revise the California Public Records Act (Chapter
33.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of
4the Government Code) so that images captured by body-worn
P2    1cameras of peace officers depicting use of force or death are
2released to the public if it is determined that the interest in public
3disclosure outweighs the need to protect the individual right to
4privacy.



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