LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 4907

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: NOVEMBER 19, 2020

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

 Concerns body worn cameras for law enforcement officers; appropriates $58 million.

Type of Impact:

Annual State and Local Expenditure Increase.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Law and Public Safety, County and Municipal Law Enforcement Departments.

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Year 1 

Year 2 

Year 3 

 

State Cost Increase

Indeterminate

 

Local Cost Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that enactment of this bill will result in an indeterminate annual cost increase for the State and local governments to store data from body worn cameras (BWCs) using a tamper-proof digital evidence management system.

 

·         The bill includes an appropriation of $58 million from the General Fund to purchase BWCs and for related services for State, county, and local law enforcement agencies.  Even after acquisition, ongoing maintenance and storage costs would be incurred annually.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      The bill appropriates $58 million from the General Fund to the Department of Law and Public Safety for the purchase of body worn cameras and related services by State, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies.

      The bill requires that the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury, or any other appropriate State agency, enter into a contract for the purchase of body worn cameras and related services for the purpose of enabling contracting units to purchase body worn cameras and related services under that contract.

      The bill requires that every State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency store data from body worn cameras using a tamper-proof digital evidence management system that is compliant with Criminal Justice Information Services and has the ability to securely share data while maintaining an audit trail and chain of custody.

       

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS estimates that this bill will result in an indeterminate annual cost increase for the State and local governments to store data from BWCs using a tamper-proof digital evidence management system.  This estimate is in addition to the $58 million appropriation included in the bill.

      According to the Office of the Governor in a recent Conditional Veto of Senate Bill No. 1163 (2R) of 2020, there are over 35,000 local, county, and State law enforcement officers in this State. Further, it was indicated that the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General completed a survey reflecting that while many law enforcement agencies in New Jersey currently use body worn cameras, more than half do not.  The survey found that approximately 12,000 cameras are presently in use across the State and that the bill requires up to two-thirds of the State’s law enforcement officers to be outfitted with body worn cameras.

      The Department of Law and Public Safety estimated that initial deployment of nearly 26,000 cameras could cost up to $55.8 million, depending on the specific number of body worn cameras required to outfit all uniformed patrol officers who are not currently equipped. This estimate included equipment acquisition, an annual licensing fee, maintenance, and storage. Even after acquisition, ongoing maintenance and storage costs would be incurred.

 

 

Section:

Law and Public Safety

Analyst:

Kristin Brunner Santos

Senior Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Assistant Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).