Bill > S1492

Introduced Session

This bill would require the placement and operation of video surveillance equipment, including one or more video cameras with the capability of recording sound, in each classroom of a public school or charter school in which a majority of the students in regular attendance: (1) are provided special education and related services; (2) are assigned to the classroom for at least 50 percent of the instructional day; and (3) have speech or language delays which render the students unable to communicate effectively. The video cameras must be capable of covering all areas of the classroom, except for bathrooms and changing areas, and must record audio from all areas of the classroom. Before activating a camera in a classroom, a school must provide written notice to school staff and the parents of each student who attends class or engages in activities in the classroom. Under the bill, school districts and charter schools are not permitted to allow regular or continual monitoring of the video recordings or to use the recordings for teacher evaluation purposes or for any purpose other than the promotion of the safety of students receiving special education and related services. The bill provides that the video recordings are confidential and may be viewed or released only under certain circumstances and by certain individuals. The videos may be released for viewing by: (1) a parent or guardian of a student who is involved in an alleged incident documented by the recording for which a complaint has been reported to the school district or charter school, on request of the parent or guardian; (2) an employee of the school district or charter school who is involved in an alleged incident documented by the recording for which a complaint has been reported to the school district or charter school, on request of the employee; (3) employees of the Department of Children and Families as part of an investigation concerning alleged child abuse or neglect; (4) Department of Education employees as part of an investigation of an alleged incident documented by the recording; or (5) a law enforcement officer, a school nurse, a school district or charter school administrator trained in de-escalation and restraint techniques, or a designated human resources staff member in response to a report of an alleged incident or an investigation of an employee of a school district or charter school or a report of alleged abuse committed by a student. Under the bill, a school is required to retain recorded video for at least three months or until the resolution of an alleged incident documented by a recording which has been released for viewing pursuant to the bill's provisions, whichever is longer, unless required to retain video for a longer period by a court order, subpoena, or pursuant to law. The bill permits a school district or charter school to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any person for use in placing the video cameras in special education classrooms.

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Shirley Turner (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 02/13/2020)

Official Document