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Who cares
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Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to personnel records of police officers, firefighters and correction officers
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Daniel O'Donnell
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S4808
Title of bill
An act to amend the civil rights law, in relation to personnel records of police officers, firefighters and correction officers
Purpose
To narrow the exception preventing access to police, firefighter, and correction and peace officer records to allow public scrutiny of all public employees.
Summary of provisions
Civil Rights Law 50-a currently prevents public access to any personnel or misconduct records of police officers. This wide protection is in addition to a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) exemption preventing the disclosure of information that is an invasion of personal privacy or jeopardizes the safety or security of individuals.
This bill would limit the scope of 50-a to records created and used solely to evaluate performance toward continued employment or promotion.
Justification
New York State is virtually unique in its refusal to apply the same level of transparency to police and other uniformed services as it applies to all other public employees. A NYS Committee on Open Government study found that the great majority of states provide the same standard to uniformed services as to all other public employees. The study also found that no other state provided the protection afforded by 50-a.
There are sufficient protections in the Freedom of Information Law to protect the privacy and safety of individuals employed in uniformed services. There is also an exemption for information relating to ongoing criminal investigations. Currently 50-a is duplicative of all of these protections.
Under the current law all footage captured by "bodycams" could be used for evaluating the performance of these individuals. Therefore the 50-a exemption could be used to prevent any footage from being released to the public. This footage is critical in creating accountability for officer's actions on duty.
At a time when the public is calling for increased scrutiny of police actions for a variety of purposes, this bill would allow broader access to records help by police departments.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
There are no fiscal implications to this bill.
Effective date
This legislation will take effect on the 30th day.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.