WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 743
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Chapter 743
(Senate Bill 330)
AN ACT concerning
Public Safety – Law Enforcement – Body–Worn Cameras
(Body–Worn Camera Appropriation and Financing Act of 2023)
FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of General Services, in coordination with the
Department of Information Technology, to negotiate certain contracts to acquire and
maintain body–worn cameras, equipment, and technology at the request of a law
enforcement agency with third parties for the acquisition or maintenance of
body–worn cameras, equipment, or technology for certain law enforcement agencies;
requiring the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission Department of
Information Technology, in coordination with the Department of General Services
and the Department of Information Technology, to study the cost and feasibility of
implementing a statewide uniform storage and access system for the body–worn
camera data of all law enforcement agencies; and generally relating to law
enforcement agencies and body–worn cameras.
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Public Safety
Section 3–101(a) and (e) and 3–201(a) and (d)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume)
BY adding to
Article – Public Safety
Section 3–511.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Public Safety
3–101.
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
(e) “Law enforcement agency” has the meaning stated in § 3–201 of this title.
3–201.
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. Ch. 743 2023 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(d) (1) “Law enforcement agency” means a governmental police force, sheriff’s
office, or security force or law enforcement organization of the State, a county, or a
municipal corporation that by statute, ordinance, or common law is authorized to enforce
the general criminal laws of the State.
(2) “Law enforcement agency” does not include members of the Maryland
National Guard who:
(i) are under the control and jurisdiction of the Military
Department;
(ii) are assigned to the military property designated as the Martin
State Airport; and
(iii) are charged with exercising police powers in and for the Martin
State Airport.
3–511.1.
(A) (1) AT THE REQUEST OF A L AW ENFORCEMENT AGENC Y, THE THE
DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES, IN COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY , SHALL NEGOTIATE CONT RACTS TO ACQUIRE AND
MAINTAIN BODY –WORN CAMERAS , EQUIPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY FOR T HE LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY , AT THE REQUEST OF ON E OR MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES, WITH THIRD PARTIES F OR THE ACQUISITION O R MAINTENANCE OF
BODY–WORN CAMERAS , EQUIPMENT, OR TECHNOLOGY FOR LA W ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES.
(2) THE CONTRACTS NEGOTIA TED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS
SUBSECTION MAY INCLU DE CONTRACTS FOR ANY RELATED EQUIPMENT OR
TECHNOLOGY DETERMINE D TO BE NECESSARY FO R THE EFFECTIVE USE OF
BODY–WORN CAMERAS .
(3) THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES SHALL NOTIFY ALL
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CIES OF THE CONTRACT S THAT ARE BEING NEG OTIATED
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION BY POST ING THE CONTRACTS ON
EMARYLAND MARKETPLACE ADVANTAGE.
(B) THE CONTRACTS NEGOTIA TED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS
SECTION SHALL PRIORI TIZE:
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 743
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(1) EQUIPMENT AND TECHNO LOGY THAT COMPLIES W ITH THE
POLICIES DEVELOPED B Y THE MARYLAND POLICE TRAINING AND STANDARDS
COMMISSION UNDER § 3–511 OF THIS SUBTITLE;
(2) EQUIPMENT AND TECHNO LOGY THAT CONFORM TO INDUSTRY
STANDARDS AND BEST P RACTICES;
(3) CYBERSECURITY AND DA TA PRIVACY;
(4) COMPATIBILITY WITH D IFFERENT EQUIPMENT A ND
TECHNOL OGY;
(5) CAPABILITIES TO EFFE CTIVELY VIEW , EDIT, REDACT, AND
TRANSFER DATA FROM B ODY–WORN CAMERAS ; AND
(6) COST EFFECTIVENESS .
(C) FOR ANY CONTRACT NEGO TIATED UNDER SUBSECT ION (A) OF THIS
SECTION, THE RIGHT OF A LAW E NFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RECEIVE SERVICES
FROM AN ENTITY RELAT ED TO VIEWING, EDITING, REDACTING, OR TRANSFERRING
DATA FROM BODY –WORN CAMERAS MAY NOT BE RESTRICTED IN ANY MANNER.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That:
(a) The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission Department of
Information Technology, in coordination with the Department of General Services and the
Department of Information Technology, shall study the cost and feasibility of implementing
a statewide uniform storage and access system for the body–worn camera data of all law
enforcement agencies, as defined in § 3–201 of the Public Safety Article.
(b) The study shall include an analysis of:
(1) the best practices for the storage of body–worn camera data; and
(2) alternatives to a statewide uniform storage and access system for
body–worn camera data.
(c) On or before December 1, 2023, the Maryland Police Training and Standards
Commission Department of Information Technology shall report the findings of the study
to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Appropriations Committee,
in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be construed to
apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect on or Ch. 743 2023 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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application to any contract related to body–worn cameras negotiated before the effective
date of this Act.
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2023.
Approved by the Governor, May 16, 2023.