CHARGING FOR BODYCAM FOOTAGE - bill passed!!

[BB62]

"Ohio bill passed in last hours of lame duck allows police to charge to release bodycam video"

Ohio bill passed in last hours of lame duck allows police to charge to release bodycam video

The provision has not had hearings and was shoved into the "Christmas Tree" bill passed by Ohio lawmakers very early Thursday morning.

www.wyso.org

"A provision that was tucked into what’s known as the Christmas tree bill earlier this week would charge media and others seeking police bodycam video $75 an hour for production of it. And that’s raising questions about police accountability.

Rep. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) said he’s talked to Parma Police officers about providing bodycam footage to the public.

“They told me they could literally spend the rest of their lives going through all of these videos for primarily folks to monetize bodycam footage on the internet,” Brennan said. ..."

I don't care what side of the political spectrum you're on - this is BS. Police need MORE accountability, not less.

 

[Doug_Nightmare]

Exorbitant fees have been used attempting to impede document production under various states’ FOIA, ultimately unsuccessfully. Justice grinds slowly but finely.

 

[color of law]

Here is what is being added to RC 149.42(B)(1) -new second paragraph.

https://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/api/v2/general_assembly_135/legislation/hb315/08_EN/pdf/

When considering whether a state or local law enforcement agency promptly prepared a video record for inspection or provided a video record for production within a reasonable period of time, in addition to any other factors, a court shall consider the time required for a state or local law enforcement agency to retrieve, download, review, redact, seek legal advice regarding, and produce the video record. Notwithstanding any other requirement set forth in Chapter 149. of the Revised Code, a state or local law enforcement agency may charge a requester the actual cost associated with preparing a video record for inspection or production, not to exceed seventy-five dollars per hour of video produced, nor seven hundred fifty dollars total. As used in this division, "actual cost," with respect to video records only, means all costs incurred by the state or local law enforcement agency in reviewing, blurring or otherwise obscuring, redacting, uploading, or producing the video records, including but not limited to the storage medium on which the record is produced, staff time, and any other relevant overhead necessary to comply with the request. A state or local law enforcement agency may include in its public records policy the requirement that a requester pay the estimated actual cost before beginning the process of preparing a video record for inspection or production. Where a state or local law enforcement agency imposes such a requirement, its obligation to produce a video or make it available for inspection begins once the estimated actual cost is paid in full by the requester. A state or local law enforcement agency shall provide the requester with the estimated actual cost within five business days of receipt of the public records request. If the actual cost exceeds the estimated actual cost, a state or local law enforcement agency may charge a requester for the difference upon fulfilling a request for video records if the requester is notified in advance that the actual cost may be up to twenty per cent higher than the estimated actual cost. A state or local law enforcement agency shall not charge a requester a difference that exceeds twenty per cent of the estimated actual cost.

Here is what bill sponsor Bill Seitz says:

"There is a cap of $750 max charge, but you can inspect the records for free and make your own video of the video with your own phone or camera."

Bill to charge public for police video sits on governor’s desk

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is evaluating whether he wants to sign a bill into law that could charge the public hundreds of dollars for footage from law enforcement agencies, including body cameras.

www.news5cleveland.com

Bill Seitz lied through his teeth again. See above law. It says "prepared a video record for inspection" and "preparing a video record for inspection."

 

[BB62]

I'm thinking that Parma needs to receive a records request of their no doubt (lol) voluminous stack of records requests for bodycam footage.

IF they do have such a stack, the question of "WHY??" would become prominent in my mind...