This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to establish stricter regulations regarding law enforcement's entry onto private lands and the use of surveillance cameras. It introduces new sections, 62-1A-12 and 62-1A-13, which limit warrantless entry to specific situations, such as emergencies or preventing imminent unlawful acts, and abolishes the common law open fields doctrine. This change enhances protections for private property by prohibiting the use of surveillance cameras on private property without consent or a warrant, while allowing for exceptions in public view areas.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing provisions in sections 20-1-7 and 20-7-4, clarifying that natural resources police officers may only enter private lands under certain conditions and cannot access homes or their curtilages without a warrant. It emphasizes the necessity of consent or a search warrant for any surveillance activities on posted land and mandates that law enforcement using unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance adhere to constitutional protections. Overall, the bill seeks to balance the enforcement of natural resource laws with the protection of individual property rights, ensuring law enforcement operates within legal boundaries.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 20-1-7, 20-7-4, 62-1A-12, 62-1A-13