S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8362
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
August 12, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. QUART -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the civil rights law and the public officers law, in
relation to excluding video camera recordings from cameras worn or
used by police in the city of New York from being included as person-
nel records
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 50-a of the civil rights law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
5. A. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO RECORDINGS
MADE OF POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDICS,
CORRECTION OFFICERS OR PEACE OFFICERS IN THE COURSE OF DUTY, INCLUDING
RECORDINGS MADE BY BODY CAMERAS WORN BY AN OFFICER, DASHBOARD CAMERAS
PLACED ON ANY PART OF AN OFFICER'S MOTOR VEHICLE, TRUCK, BICYCLE OR
OTHER VEHICLE, CAMERAS MOUNTED ON A TASER OR OTHER WEAPON, OR ANY OTHER
GOVERNMENT-OPERATED RECORDING DEVICE, OR THE METADATA FROM THOSE
RECORDINGS.
B. ANY VIDEO RELEASED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL HAVE
ALL IDENTIFYING DETAILS OF ALL PERSONS IN THE VIDEO REDACTED, INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FACIAL FEATURES AND VOICES AND OTHER PERSONAL INFOR-
MATION AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION NINETY-TWO OF THE
PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW.
C. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL MODIFY THE RIGHTS OF LITIGANTS IN A
CIVIL OR CRIMINAL ACTION TO ACCESS RECORDINGS OR METADATA.
D. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO DISALLOW RECORDINGS
OR METADATA FROM BEING USED FOR DISCIPLINARY, HIRING OR OTHER PERSONNEL
DECISIONS.
E. ANYONE WHO REQUESTS A RECORDING OR METADATA RELEASED UNDER THIS
SECTION MAY ALSO REQUEST ANY OR ALL PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY RECORDS, AS
DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION EIGHT OF SECTION NINETY-TWO OF THE PUBLIC OFFI-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09301-05-5
A. 8362 2
CERS LAW, NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY ANY OFFICER IN THE RECORDING OR METADA-
TA.
S 2. The opening paragraph of section 1-a of the civil rights law is
designated subdivision 1 and a new subdivision 2 is added to read as
follows:
2. THE TERM "RECORDING", AS USED IN THIS CHAPTER, SHALL MEAN AN
ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD, DISC, TAPE, AUDIO OR VIDEO CASSETTE, WIRE,
FILM, HARD DRIVE, FLASH DRIVE, MEMORY CARD OR OTHER DATA STORAGE DEVICE
OR ANY OTHER MEDIUM ON WHICH SUCH SOUNDS, IMAGES, OR BOTH SOUNDS AND
IMAGES ARE OR CAN BE RECORDED OR OTHERWISE STORED, OR A COPY OR REPROD-
UCTION THAT DUPLICATES IN WHOLE OR IN PART THE ORIGINAL.
S 3. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 2 of section 89 of the public offi-
cers law, as amended by section 11 of part U of chapter 61 of the laws
of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
(c) Unless otherwise provided by this article, disclosure shall not be
construed to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy
pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision:
i. when identifying details are deleted OR REDACTED;
ii. when the person to whom a record pertains consents in writing to
disclosure;
iii. when upon presenting reasonable proof of identity, a person seeks
access to records pertaining to him or her; or
iv. when a record or group of records relates to the right, title or
interest in real property, or relates to the inventory, status or char-
acteristics of real property, in which case disclosure and providing
copies of such record or group of records shall not be deemed an unwar-
ranted invasion of personal privacy, provided that nothing herein shall
be construed to authorize the disclosure of electronic contact informa-
tion, such as an e-mail address or a social network username, that has
been collected from a taxpayer under section one hundred four of the
real property tax law.
S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.