SPONSOR: Boggs
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Special Committee on Rural Issues by a vote of 9 to 1, with 1 member voting present.
Currently, employees of a state agency or a political subdivision are prohibited from placing a surveillance camera or game camera on private property without the consent of the landowner or landowner's designee, a search warrant, or permission from the highest ranking law enforcement chief or officer of the agency under certain conditions. This bill removes the ability for the highest ranking law enforcement chief or officer to approve the placement of a camera on private property.
This bill is similar to HB 561 (2025).
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that the bill protects personal property rights. No one, including the government, should be able to place a camera on your property without your consent or a judicial order.
Testifying in person for the bill were Representative Boggs; and Americans For Prosperity.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
OTHERS: Others testifying on the bill say the Department of Conservation has used the authority being repealed twice in the past five years. In both cases, the need to place a camera was time sensitive and the camera was facing an open road or public land.
Testifying in person on the bill was Aaron Jeffries, Missouri Department of Conservation.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony and witnesses testifying online can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: