Bill > SB1820

This bill mandates that correctional officers at specific correctional facilities, defined as adult facilities on public property housing inmates under the department of correction's custody and operated by a prison contractor in certain metropolitan counties, must use body cameras at all times when on duty and interacting or potentially interacting with inmates, with the recordings needing to be active. The prison contractor is responsible for the cost of these cameras, data storage, and maintenance, and must promptly send footage to the department of correction (TCA Title 41, Chapter 51, Part 4). The department will then review footage for any suspected unlawful or abusive incidents, with reviews completed within five business days of an investigation, and recordings relevant to potential legal action must be stored securely for at least one year and readily available for transmission to district attorneys general or other prosecuting authorities within 48 hours of review or request, respectively. The department will also submit quarterly and annual reports on this data to legislative committees. Furthermore, body camera recordings made under this new law are considered confidential and not subject to public inspection, except when relevant to a civil or criminal case, in which instance they can be released to law enforcement, prosecuting authorities, or through court orders, with protective measures to ensure limited disclosure. This new part of the law is set to be repealed on July 1, 2027, and the provisions of this act take effect on July 1, 2026.