Oklahoma Passes Bill That Restricts Public Access to Police Videos
OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill that may prevent the public from accessing videos from police vehicles and body cameras has just passed the state Senate in Oklahoma, and is pending approval from governor Mary Fallin (R-OK).
The bill passed with a vote of 44-2 from the Oklahoma state Senate, and adds new exemptions to the state’s Open Records Act for police and other law enforcement agencies.
Oklahoma HB 1037 will allow police to suppress videos that depict acts of violence, nudity, or information that reveals the identity of crime victims, police officers, or informants.
State Senators David Holt (R-OK) and Marty Quinn (R-OK), as well as House Representative George Faught (R-OK), sponsored the bill, which was last amended in April.
