Senate Bill No. 973 seeks to amend the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) concerning the disclosure of records from police body-worn cameras and dashboard cameras. The bill repeals Section 29-6d of the general statutes and introduces new definitions such as "requesting party," "involved person," and "redact." It establishes requirements for law enforcement units to comply with technical specifications for recording equipment, mandates the use of body-worn cameras during public interactions, and outlines the conditions for reviewing and disclosing recordings. Notably, the bill stipulates that recordings must be disclosed to the public within ninety-six hours of a request, with specific exemptions for certain sensitive recordings.

Additionally, SB 973 introduces new regulations regarding redaction fees, allowing public agencies to charge for redaction labor beyond four hours, capped at $100 per hour, while exempting involved persons and their legal representatives from such fees. The bill also clarifies the fee structure for copies of public records, limiting charges to 25 cents per page for state agencies and 50 cents for others. It mandates that agencies maintain unredacted copies of any redacted records for public access and sets an effective date of October 1, 2025. Overall, the bill aims to enhance transparency in law enforcement while safeguarding individual privacy rights.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 29-6d
GOS Joint Favorable: 29-6d
File No. 77: 29-6d