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<ns0:Id>20250SB__069198AMD</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2025-02-21</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2025-04-21</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Wahab</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Wahab</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title>An act to amend Section 832.18 of the Penal Code, relating to body-worn cameras. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>body-worn cameras</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Body-worn cameras: policies.</ns0:Subject>
</ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing law requires law enforcement agencies, departments, or entities to consider specified best practices regarding the downloading and storage of body-worn camera data, such as specifically stating the length of time that recorded data is to be stored, when establishing policies and procedures for the implementation and operation of a body-worn camera system, as specified.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2026, each law enforcement agency that has a body-worn camera policy to update that policy to provide guidance to personnel who wear body-worn cameras regarding the circumstances in which they are required to reasonably and temporarily limit the recording of medical or psychological evaluations, procedures, or treatment performed by emergency service personnel that may cause embarrassment or humiliation to the patient. The bill would also require that policy update to include a procedure for emergency service personnel to request the redaction of evidentiary recordings of a patient undergoing medical or psychological evaluation, procedure, or treatment by emergency service personnel.</html:p>
<html:p>By requiring local law enforcement agencies to adopt new policies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>The
California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.</html:p>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 832.18 of the
<ns0:DocName>Penal Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>832.18.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
It is the intent of the Legislature to establish policies and procedures to address issues related to the recording, downloading, and storage of data recorded by a body-worn camera worn by a peace officer. These policies and procedures shall be based on best practices.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
When establishing policies and procedures for the implementation and operation of a body-worn camera system, law enforcement agencies, departments, or entities shall consider the following best practices regarding the downloading and storage of body-worn camera data:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Designate the person responsible for downloading the recorded data from the
body-worn camera. If the storage system does not have automatic downloading capability, the officer’s supervisor should take immediate physical custody of the camera and should be responsible for downloading the data in the case of an incident involving the use of force by an officer, an officer-involved shooting, or other serious incident.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Establish when data should be downloaded to ensure the data is entered into the system in a timely manner, the cameras are properly maintained and ready for the next use, and for purposes of tagging and categorizing the data.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Establish specific measures to prevent data tampering, deleting, and copying, including prohibiting the unauthorized use, duplication, or distribution of body-worn camera data.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Categorize and tag body-worn camera video at the time the data is downloaded and classified according to the type of event or incident captured in the data.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Specifically state the length of time that recorded data is to be stored.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Unless subparagraph (B) or (C) applies, nonevidentiary data including video and audio recorded by a body-worn camera should be retained for a minimum of 60 days, after which it may be erased, destroyed, or recycled. An agency may keep data for more than 60 days to have it available in case of a civilian complaint and to preserve transparency.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Evidentiary data including video and audio recorded by a body-worn camera under this section should be retained for a minimum
of two years under any of the following circumstances:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(i)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The recording is of an incident involving the use of force by a peace officer or an officer-involved shooting.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(ii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The recording is of an incident that leads to the detention or arrest of an individual.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(iii)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The recording is relevant to a formal or informal complaint against a law enforcement officer or a law enforcement agency.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If evidence that may be relevant to a criminal prosecution is obtained from a recording made by a body-worn camera under this section, the law enforcement agency should retain the recording for any time in addition to that specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B), and in the same
manner as is required by law for other evidence that may be relevant to a criminal prosecution.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(D)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
In determining a retention schedule, the agency should work with its legal counsel to determine a retention schedule to ensure that storage policies and practices are in compliance with all relevant laws and adequately preserve evidentiary chains of custody.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Records or logs of access and deletion of data from body-worn cameras should be retained permanently.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
State where the body-worn camera data will be stored, including, for example, an in-house server that is managed internally, or an online cloud database that is managed by a third-party vendor.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(7)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
If using a third-party vendor to manage the data storage system, the following factors should be considered to protect the security and integrity of the data:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Using an experienced and reputable third-party vendor.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Entering into contracts that govern the vendor relationship and protect the agency’s data.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Using a system that has a built-in audit trail to prevent data tampering and unauthorized access.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(D)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Using a system that has a reliable method for automatically backing up data for storage.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Consulting with internal legal counsel to ensure the method of data storage
meets legal requirements for chain-of-custody concerns.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(F)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Using a system that includes technical assistance capabilities.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(8)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Require that all recorded data from body-worn cameras are property of their respective law enforcement agency and shall not be accessed or released for any unauthorized purpose, explicitly prohibit agency personnel from accessing recorded data for personal use and from uploading recorded data onto public and social media internet websites, and include sanctions for violations of this prohibition.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this subdivision to support the protection of patient privacy while the patient is receiving a medical or psychological evaluation, procedure, or treatment from emergency service personnel, and to support emergency service personnel in taking reasonable efforts to safeguard patients’ protected health information.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
On or before July 1, 2026, each law enforcement agency that has a body-worn camera policy shall update that policy to provide guidance to personnel who wear body-worn cameras regarding the circumstances in which they are required to reasonably and temporarily limit the recording of medical or psychological evaluations, procedures, or treatment performed by emergency service personnel that may cause embarrassment or humiliation to the patient, including, but not limited to, circumstances in
which the person’s groin or breasts are exposed while the emergency service personnel is performing a medical or psychological evaluation, procedure, or treatment. The policy update shall provide personnel who wear body-worn cameras with sufficient discretion to enable them to respond appropriately in a variety of situations.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The policy update shall include a procedure for emergency service personnel to request the redaction of evidentiary recordings of a patient undergoing medical or psychological evaluation, procedure, or treatment by emergency service personnel.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Emergency personnel may request that law enforcement personnel who wear body-worn cameras limit the recording of a patient receiving medical or psychological evaluation, procedure, or treatment. Law enforcement personnel shall respond to the request in accordance with the policy update required by this
subdivision.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
This subdivision shall not be construed to limit the protections of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the Civil Code), or the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191), or to create a new obligation on law enforcement personnel to render aid.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For the purposes of this subdivision, “emergency service personnel” has the same meaning as in Section 8669.15 of the Government Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For purposes of this section, “evidentiary data” refers to data of an incident or encounter that could prove useful for investigative purposes, including, but not limited to, a crime, an arrest or citation, a search, a use of
force incident, or a confrontational encounter with a member of the public. The retention period for evidentiary data are subject to state evidentiary laws.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
For purposes of this section, “nonevidentiary data” refers to data that does not necessarily have value to aid in an investigation or prosecution, such as data of an incident or encounter that does not lead to an arrest or citation, or data of general activities the officer might perform while on duty.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
This section shall not be interpreted to limit the public’s right to access recorded data under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code).
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_69225877-0FFC-46F8-907A-CE72CCDC6AB8">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.</html:p>
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