[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1163

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 3, 2020

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman  CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblyman  HERB CONAWAY, JR.

District 7 (Burlington)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Ruiz, Assemblywoman McKnight, Assemblyman Coughlin and Senator Pou

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires law enforcement officers to wear body cameras.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As amended by the General Assembly on August 27, 2020.

  


An Act concerning law enforcement officers and supplementing chapter 14 of Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, every 1uniformed1 State, county, and municipal 1patrol1 law enforcement officer shall wear a 1body worn1 camera that electronically records audio and video while acting in the performance of 1[his] the officer’s1 official duties 2, except:

     (1)    while engaging in an undercover assignment;

     (2)    when assigned to non-uniformed duties;

     (3)    while serving in an administrative position within the department;

     (4)    while meeting with a confidential informant;

     (5)    while engaging in union representation of a member of the collective bargaining group;

     (6)    when directed by the Chief or a superior officer for a lawful purpose;

     (7)    a detective or investigator of a county prosecutor’s office or Division of Criminal Justice when authorized by the County Prosecutor or Attorney General; or

     (8)   at the request of a member of the public pursuant to rules developed by the Attorney General2.

     b.    The 1body worn1 cameras required by subsection a. of this section shall be funded by forfeiture funds collected pursuant to N.J.S.2C:64-6, in an amount to be determined by the Attorney General.

     1c.   For the purposes of this section, “body worn camera” means a mobile video recording system worn by a law enforcement officer.1

 

     2.    The Attorney General is authorized to promulgate guidelines or directives, as appropriate, to implement and enforce the provisions of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

 

     3.    This act shall take effect 1[on the first day of the sixth month following] immediately, but shall remain inoperative until the1 enactment 1into law of P.L.     , c.     (C.     ) (pending before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. 101 or Assembly Bill No. 4312 of 2020)1, but the Attorney General may take such administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of the act.