On March 1, 2022, Associate Policy Director D’Paul Nibber testified before the House Judiciary Committee in support of HB 1207 – Public Safety – Body-Worn Cameras – Costs and Expenses. This bill requires the State to assume responsibility for all costs and expenses related to the procurement and use of body-worn cameras by county law enforcement agencies.

From the MACo testimony: 

During the 2021 Maryland General Assembly Session, counties raised concerns with the body-worn camera mandate included as a piece of the Maryland Police Accountability Act. Law enforcement officials at every level of government raised concerns for two principal reasons unanticipated and potentially significant costs, and the administrative burden of reviewing and redacting thousands of hours of sensitive footage. HB 1207, as a follow-up to last year’s broad police reform legislation, is a significant and important step toward addressing these concerns, as well as ensuring smoother implementation of the Police Accountability Act.

More on MACo’s Advocacy:

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2022 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database.
Learn more about MACo’s 2022 Legislative Initiatives.
Read more General Assembly News on MACo’s Conduit Street blog.