Florida HB 693: Lowell Correctional Institution Body Cameras Pilot Program

Bill Text

HB 693 2021

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0693-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Lowell Correctional Institution 2
Body Cameras Pilot Program; creating s. 944.145, F.S.; 3
creating the Lowell Correctional Institution Body 4
Cameras Pilot Program within the Department of 5
Corrections; providing the purpose of the pilot 6
program; defining terms; requiring that each 7
correctional officer working at the Lowell 8
Correctional Institution wear a body camera while 9
acting within the scope of his or her official duties; 10
requiring the department to establish policies and 11
procedures for the proper use, maintenance, and 12
storage of such body cameras and data recorded by such 13
body cameras; providing minimum requirements for such 14
policies and procedures; requiring the department to 15
provide training for the wear, use, maintenance, and 16
storage of body cameras; requiring the audio and video 17
data recorded by such cameras to be maintained in 18
accordance with public records laws; requiring the 19
department to submit annual reports beginning on a 20
certain date; providing report requirements; providing 21
for expiration of the pilot program; providing an 22
effective date. 23
24
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 25

HB 693 2021

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26
Section 1. Section 944.145, Florida Statutes, is created 27
to read: 28
944.145 Lowell Correctional Institution Body Cameras Pilot 29
Program.— 30
(1) The Lowell Correctional Institution Body Cameras Pilot 31
Program is created within the department for 3 years. The 32
purpose of the pilot program is to ensure safety and provide 33
accountability for each person in the institution. 34
(2) As used in this section, the term: 35
(a) "Body camera" means a portable electronic recording 36
device that is worn on a correctional officer's person and that 37
records audio and video data of the officer's prisoner-related 38
encounters and activities. 39
(b) "Correctional officer" has the same meaning as in s. 40
943.10(2). 41
(3) Each correctional officer working at the Lowell 42
Correctional Institution shall wear a body camera while acting 43
within the scope of his or her official duties. The department 44
shall establish policies and procedures addressing the proper 45
use, maintenance, and storage of such body cameras and the data 46
recorded by such body cameras. The policies and procedures must, 47
at a minimum, include all of the following: 48
(a) General guidelines for the proper use, maintenance, 49
and storage of body cameras. 50

HB 693 2021

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(b) Any limitations on a correctional officer's use of the 51
body cameras. 52
(c) Any limitations on prisoner-related encounters and 53
activities in which correctional officers are authorized to wear 54
body cameras. 55
(d) A provision allowing a correctional officer using a 56
body camera to review the recorded footage from the body camera, 57
upon his or her own initiative or request, before writing a 58
report or providing a statement regarding any event arising 59
within the scope of his or her official duties. Any such 60
provision may not apply to an officer's inherent duty to 61
immediately disclose information necessary to secure an active 62
crime scene or to identify suspects or witnesses. 63
(e) General guidelines for the proper storage, retention, 64
and release of audio and video data recorded by body cameras. 65
(4) The department shall: 66
(a) Ensure that all personnel at the Lowell Correctional 67
Institution who wear, use, maintain, or store body cameras are 68
trained in the department's policies and procedures concerning 69
the body cameras. 70
(b) Ensure that all personnel at the Lowell Correctional 71
Institution who use, maintain, store, or release audio or video 72
data recorded by body cameras are trained in the department's 73
policies and procedures. 74
(c) Retain audio and video data recorded by body cameras 75

HB 693 2021

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in accordance with the requirements of s. 119.021, except as 76
otherwise provided by law. 77
(d) Perform a periodic review of actual agency body camera 78
practices to ensure conformity with the agency's policies and 79
procedures. 80
(5) Beginning on June 30, 2022, and annually thereafter, 81
the department shall submit a report to the Governor, the 82
President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the 83
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader