STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6058 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE March 5, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. PARKER, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law and the parks, recre- ation and historic preservation law, in relation to the use of body- worn cameras by police officers The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a 2 new section 3-0323 to read as follows: 3 § 3-0323. Police officer body-worn cameras program. 4 1. There is hereby created within the department a police officer 5 body-worn cameras program. The purpose of the program is to increase 6 accountability and evidence for police officers of the department and 7 the residents of the state by providing body-worn cameras to all police 8 officers while on patrol. 9 2. The department shall provide body-worn cameras, to be worn by offi- 10 cers at all times, while on patrol. Such cameras shall record: 11 (a) immediately before an officer exits a vehicle to interact with a 12 person or situation, even if there is a dash camera inside such vehicle 13 which might also be recording the interaction; 14 (b) all uses of force, including any physical aggression and use of a 15 non-lethal or lethal weapon; 16 (c) all arrests and summonses; 17 (d) all interactions with people suspected of criminal activity; 18 (e) all searches of persons and property; 19 (f) any call to a crime in progress; 20 (g) investigative actions where there are interactions with members of 21 the public; 22 (h) any interaction with an emotionally disturbed person; and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD10632-01-5
S. 6058 2 1 (i) any instances where officers feel any imminent danger or the need 2 to document their time on duty. 3 3. The attorney general may investigate any instance where body 4 cameras fail to record an event pursuant to this section. 5 4. At the discretion of the officer, body-worn cameras may not record: 6 (a) sensitive encounters, including but not limited to speaking with a 7 confidential informant, or conducting a strip search; or 8 (b) when a member of the public asks such officer to turn off the 9 camera; provided, however, such officer may continue recording if such 10 officer thinks a record of that interaction should be generated. 11 5. The department shall preserve recordings of such body-worn cameras 12 and perform all upkeep on equipment used in such body-worn cameras. Such 13 duties shall include: 14 (a) creating a secure record of all instances where there is recorded 15 video or audio footage; 16 (b) ensuring officers have sufficient storage capacity on their 17 cameras to allow for the recording of interactions required by this 18 section; and 19 (c) ensuring officers have access to body-worn cameras for the record- 20 ing of instances required by this section. 21 § 2. The parks, recreation and historic preservation law is amended by 22 adding a new section 13.33 to read as follows: 23 § 13.33 Regional state park police body-worn cameras program. 1. 24 There is hereby created within the office a regional state park police 25 body-worn cameras program. The purpose of the program is to increase 26 accountability and evidence for officers and the residents of the state 27 by providing body-worn cameras to all regional state park police offi- 28 cers while on patrol. 29 2. The office shall provide body-worn cameras, to be worn by officers 30 at all times, while on patrol. Such cameras shall record: 31 (a) immediately before an officer exits a vehicle to interact with a 32 person or situation, even if there is a dash camera inside such vehicle 33 which might also be recording the interaction; 34 (b) all uses of force, including any physical aggression and use of a 35 non-lethal or lethal weapon; 36 (c) all arrests and summonses; 37 (d) all interactions with people suspected of criminal activity; 38 (e) all searches of persons and property; 39 (f) any call to a crime in progress; 40 (g) investigative actions where there are interactions with members of 41 the public; 42 (h) any interaction with an emotionally disturbed person; and 43 (i) any instances where officers feel any imminent danger or the need 44 to document their time on duty. 45 3. The attorney general may investigate any instance where body 46 cameras fail to record an event pursuant to this section. 47 4. At the discretion of the officer, body-worn cameras may not record: 48 (a) sensitive encounters, including but not limited to speaking with a 49 confidential informant, or conducting a strip search; or 50 (b) when a member of the public asks such officer to turn off the 51 camera; provided, however, such officer may continue recording if such 52 officer thinks a record of that interaction should be generated. 53 5. The office shall preserve recordings of such body-worn cameras and 54 perform all upkeep on equipment used in such body-worn cameras. Such 55 duties shall include:
S. 6058 3 1 (a) creating a secure record of all instances where there is recorded 2 video or audio footage; 3 (b) ensuring officers have sufficient storage capacity on their 4 cameras to allow for the recording of interactions required by this 5 section; and 6 (c) ensuring officers have access to body-worn cameras for the record- 7 ing of instances required by this section. 8 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 9 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 10 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 11 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 12 on or before such effective date.