Police CAMERA Act of 2017
Latest action (4 Oct 2017): Introduced
What this bill does
The Police CAMERA Act of 2017 (S. 1918) would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to create a federal matching-grant program administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies purchase or lease body-worn cameras and cover related costs, such as data storage, training, and program implementation. Grants would run two years, generally require a 25 percent local funding match (waivable in cases of fiscal hardship), and total $30 million for fiscal years 2018 and 2019.
To receive funds, agencies would have to adopt public policies on camera use, data storage, and privacy protections; establish data retention and access protocols, including logging and limiting who can view footage; collect and report statistics on use-of-force incidents and complaints by race, ethnicity, gender, and age; and restrict transfer of recorded data to other agencies except for specified criminal investigation or civil rights purposes. The bill also directs creation of a training toolkit, periodic audits of grantees, and a study—followed by a report to Congress—on the effectiveness and impacts of body-worn cameras.
The bill primarily affects state, local, and tribal police departments seeking federal funding for body cameras, as well as the communities they serve, by setting conditions meant to promote transparency, accountability, and privacy protections tied to camera use.
Introduced by Senator Brian Schatz on October 4, 2017, with several cosponsors, the bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. It did not receive a vote and did not become law during the 115th Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Police Creating Accountability by Making Effective Recording Available Act of 2017 or the Police CAMERA Act of 2017
This bill amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to make grants to states, local governments, and Indian tribes to purchase or lease body-worn cameras and to implement body-worn camera programs.
A state, local government, or Indian tribe that receives a grant must comply with certain requirements, including to establish policies and procedures for the use of body-worn cameras and to adopt recorded data collection and retention protocols.
The BJA must establish and maintain a toolkit to provide training and technical assistance, including best practices for implementation, model policies and procedures, and research materials.
The BJA must also study and report to Congress on the efficacy, impact, and effect of using body-worn cameras.
Common questions
- What does S. 1918 do?
- The Police CAMERA Act of 2017 (S. 1918) would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to create a federal matching-grant program administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies purchase or lease body-worn cameras and cover related costs, such as data storage, training, and program implementation. Grants would run two years, generally require a 25 percent local funding match (waivable in cases of fiscal hardship), and total $30 million for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. To receive funds, agencies would have to adopt public policies on camera use, data storage, and privacy protections; establish data retention and access protocols, including logging and limiting who can view footage; collect and report statistics on use-of-force incidents and complaints by race, ethnicity, gender, and age; and restrict transfer of recorded data to other agencies except for specified criminal investigation or civil rights purposes. The bill also directs creation of a training toolkit, periodic audits of grantees, and a study—followed by a report to Congress—on the effectiveness and impacts of body-worn cameras. The bill primarily affects state, local, and tribal police departments seeking federal funding for body cameras, as well as the communities they serve, by setting conditions meant to promote transparency, accountability, and privacy protections tied to camera use. Introduced by Senator Brian Schatz on October 4, 2017, with several cosponsors, the bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. It did not receive a vote and did not become law during the 115th Congress.
- Has S. 1918 become law?
- Not yet. As of 4 Oct 2017, S. 1918 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 1918?
- S. 1918 was sponsored by Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI] (Democrat-HI), with 3 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 1918?
- Introduced (4 Oct 2017).
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