HARRISBURG, Pa. — A proposed bill would make police body camera footage more accessible to the public.
Two members of the state House, State Rep. Dan Miller (D-Allegheny) and State Rep. Austin Davis (D-Allegheny), plan to introduce the measure to reform a previous law on body camera footage.
Act 22 of 2017 approved the use of body cameras by Pennsylvania law enforcement, but also made that footage unavailable to the public through the state’s Right-To-Know law.
The proposed bill would return police body camera footage to the purview of the Right-To-Know Law. It would also increase the amount of time a person has to request the footage from 60 to 180 days, and the ways a person can formally request the footage.
“What we think we’ve offered here is a compromise between what was and what is, but in a way that would increase access for people,” State Rep. Miller said. “I think that that’s a great way for us to restore faith between law enforcement and communities, and I think it’s the right thing to do.”
Miller said he was optimistic the bill would get support in the House.
He and Davis plan to introduce the measure soon.