SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1163

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  AUGUST 21, 2020

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports without recommendation and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1163.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 1163 requires law enforcement officers to wear body worn cameras. 

      The amended bill specifically requires every uniformed State, county, and municipal patrol law enforcement officer to wear a body worn camera that electronically records audio and video while acting in the performance of the officer’s official duties.  “Body worn camera” is defined as a mobile video recording system worn by a law enforcement officer. 

      The body worn cameras are to be funded by forfeiture funds received by the Attorney General as instrumentalities of crime.  The amended bill authorizes the Attorney General to promulgate guidelines or directives.  

      As amended, the bill is effective immediately, but remains inoperative until Senate Bill No. 101 or Assembly Bill 4312 is enacted.  Those bills govern the use of body worn cameras by law enforcement officers. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)  narrow the scope of the body worn camera requirement to uniformed patrol law enforcement officers;  

      (2)  define “body worn” cameras; and

      (3)  link the effective date to Senate Bill No. 101 or Assembly Bill No. 4312 of the 2020-21 legislative session.