Florida Senate - 2015                                     SB 248
       
       
        
       By Senator Smith
       
       
       
       
       
       31-00342-15                                            2015248__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the recording of law enforcement
    3         activities; providing a short title; creating s.
    4         943.1718, F.S.; providing a definition; requiring
    5         uniformed officers assigned primarily to patrol duties
    6         to be equipped with body cameras; requiring the use of
    7         such cameras during specified activities; exempting
    8         the recordings of such activities from specified
    9         provisions relating to the interception of wire,
   10         electronic, and oral communications; providing an
   11         effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Police and Citizen
   16  Protection Act.”
   17         Section 2. Section 943.1718, Florida Statutes, is created
   18  to read:
   19         943.1718 Use of body cameras; recordings.—
   20         (1) As used in this section, the term “body camera” means a
   21  device that is worn by a law enforcement officer which
   22  electronically records audio and video of his or her activities.
   23         (2) Every uniformed law enforcement officer in this state
   24  who is primarily assigned to patrol duties shall be equipped
   25  with a body camera while performing such duties. The camera
   26  shall be used by the officer to record activities that take
   27  place during motor vehicle stops or other law enforcement
   28  actions taken during the course of his or her official duties.
   29         (3) Chapter 934 does not apply to recordings made pursuant
   30  to this section.
   31         Section 3. This act shall take effect January 1, 2016.