Body cameras studied for Slidell Police Dept

Slidell Police officer Darrell Marcev chats with motorist Russell Wagner with a body camera affixed to his uniform. The legislature is weighing limits on the release of footage. "I think the police aught to have all kinds of cameras, guns and everything else hanging on them," Wagner said, "and riding a bullet-proof cars. I'm serious. I spent 15 years in the service. I know what it's like to get kicked around." The Slidell police department is studying the different models and the financing required to implement body cameras for all their officers during an interview at the Police Department, Monday, January 5, 2015. (Photo by Ted Jackson, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)

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The full Senate on Wednesday (May 4) passed a bill that would prevent footage collected by police body cameras from being released if someone depicted in the footage had a reasonable expectation of privacy.

In its earlier, broader form, the bill was opposed by the Louisiana Press Association because it would have automatically made most body camera footage subject to release only under court order. But the bill's author, state Sen. Ronnie Johns, R-Lake Charles, agreed to narrow the law to bring it in line with existing Louisiana public records law.

Under current Louisiana law, anything considered public record that would constitute an invasion of privacy can be withheld from disclosure. It's up to the custodian of records to determine whether someone's privacy would be violated; if the person requesting the footage disagrees, they can file a suit to ask a judge to view the footage and decide whether it violates privacy.

In general, footage taken inside homes or public bathrooms would be exempted.

The bill comes as law enforcement begins navigating the thorny issues around body camera footage, such as how to store the footage, for how long, and how to pay for people reviewing footage to determine if it's subject to release. Johns included language in the bill that aims to discourage people requesting footage from asking for hours upon hours of recordings that would be laborious to review.

Louisiana lawmakers compromise on body cam footage release The bill now makes all body camera footage subject to release if there are no concerns over privacy.

Johns' bill stipulates that anyone requesting needs to cite a specific time, date and location of an incident.

In situations where the footage captures someone who is eventually charged in a criminal case, footage is already protected by existing law. In most cases, police are allowed to keep footage from being released until the court case is completed.

Senate Bill 398 passed the Senate 29-4. It now moves onto House committee.