Stop Body Camera Paywalls Act

Key Points

• This bill, introduced by Representative Tlaib, would stop police departments and local governments from charging people money to see or get copies of police camera footage.
• To keep receiving federal grant money for law enforcement, states and cities would have to prove they aren't charging the public any fees—including court fees—to access these videos.
• The rule would cover several types of video, including body cameras worn by officers, dashboard cameras in police cars, and security footage from inside jails and prisons.
• The goal is to make it easier for regular people to see what happens during police encounters or inside correctional facilities without having to pay expensive fees for public records.
• If a local government continues to charge for this footage, they would lose access to major federal funding programs that many departments use to pay for equipment and staff.