Congress·In Committee·H.R. 7125

Congress Proposes Ban on Fees for Accessing Police Body Camera and Jail Surveillance Footage

Stop Body Camera Paywalls Act

2 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

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.

Criminal JusticeCivil RightsConsumer Protection

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Positive Impacts(2)

Criminal Record

Helps

People with criminal records — or those involved in legal proceedings — often need access to police body camera, dash camera, or jail surveillance footage to support their defense or appeals. This bill would eliminate fees that can be a major barrier, especially for people who are already financially struggling after encounters with the criminal justice system.

Mental Health

Helps

Families and advocates seeking accountability after police encounters involving people in mental health crises would no longer face financial barriers to obtaining footage. Free access to video evidence can help families understand what happened during traumatic incidents and pursue complaints or legal action if needed.

Broader Impacts

DomainScoreShort-termLong-termReversibilityConfidence

Score

Scores: -5 (harmful) to +5 (beneficial)Short-term: 0-2 yearsLong-term: 10-30 years

Milestones

2 milestones3 actions

Jan 15, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Jan 15, 2026

Introduced in House

Jan 13, 2026

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H697)

Related News

1 article

Pulitzer Center·over 2 years ago

Body Cameras Were Supposed To Hold Police Accountable — But Getting Footage Is Harder Than You Think

While body cameras were touted as a tool for reform, legal and financial hurdles often prevent the public from seeing the footage. Civil rights attorneys describe the process as 'daunting,' as departments use high fees and legal loopholes to delay or block transparency.

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