Georgia Senators introduced legislation that could prevent law enforcement videos from public view despite increasing law enforcement violence against Georgia and United States residents and a lack of transparency when that violence occurs. At a moment Georgians are demanding transparency and trust, SB 482 has the potential to disrupt both.

SB 482

🚨Makes it easier for law enforcement to escape accountability by making it more difficult for people to request body cameras, dashcams, and other law enforcement footage.

🚨Increases the level of difficulty for the public to request and receive law enforcement footage by requiring people to make requests for footage in person, make a separate request for each video or photograph sought, attach a notarized compliance statement, and state the first and last name of the individual in the video.

🚨Creates confusion instead of clarity because SB 482 requires the public to state the first and last name of the individual in the video but does not clarify if the request must state the first and last name of everyone who may appear in the video.

🚨Discriminates on the basis of transportation and resources by limiting access to those Georgians who have the financial and physical means to travel and make their requests in person.

🚨Could allow law enforcement to shield abuse from the public eye by not defining “law enforcement video.” This ambiguity could shield evidence of law enforcement abuse if courts interpret the term broadly, potentially even blocking access to videos obtained by law enforcement.

Despite warnings from news organizations that the bill would make it harder for local news to serve its function, the Senate passed this bill on Crossover Day.