SB 157

SB157 INTRODUCED
1 SB157
2 MSIZ91W-1
3 By Senators Coleman, Figures, Stewart, Smitherman
4 RFD: Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety
5 First Read: 14-Jan-26
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MSIZ91W-1 01/13/2026 THR (L)THR 2025-2253
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4 SYNOPSIS:
5Under existing law, a recording made by a
6body-worn camera or dashboard camera used by a law
7enforcement agency may only be disclosed to an
8individual or a personal representative of an
9individual whose image or voice is the subject of the
10recording.
11This bill would provide that a recording made by
12a body-worn camera or dashboard camera used by a law
13enforcement agency be considered a public record,
14making the recording subject to public inspection.
15This bill would also provide for an appeals
16process if a law enforcement agency fails to provide a
17requested recording.
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19
20A BILL
21TO BE ENTITLED
22AN ACT
23
24Relating to law enforcement; to amend Sections
25 36-21-210, 36-21-212, and 36-21-213, Code of Alabama 1975; to
26 further provide for the release of certain law enforcement
27 recordings; and to provide an appeal process.
28 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
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29Section 1. Sections 36-21-210, 36-21-212, and
30 36-21-213, Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as
31 follows:
32"§36-21-210
33As used in For the purposes of this article, the
34 following terms have the following meanings:
35(1) BODY-WORN CAMERA. An operational video or digital
36 camera or other electronic device, including a microphone or
37 other mechanism to capture audio, affixed to the uniform or
38 person of law enforcement agency personnel and positioned in a
39 way that allows the camera or device to capture interactions
40 between law enforcement agency personnel and others.
41(2) CUSTODIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. The law
42 enforcement agency that owns or leases or whose personnel
43 operates the equipment that created the recording at the time
44 the recording was made. If another law enforcement agency
45 takes over the investigation of the recorded incident, that
46 agency becomes the custodial law enforcement agency for the
47 purposes of this article.
48(3) DASHBOARD CAMERA. A device or system installed or
49 used in a law enforcement agency vehicle that electronically
50 records images or audio of interactions between law
51 enforcement agency personnel and others. This term does not
52 include a body-worn camera.
53(4) DISCLOSE or DISCLOSURE. To make a recording
54 available for viewing or listening at a time and location
55 chosen by the custodial law enforcement agency. This term does
56 not include the release of a recording.
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57(5) PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE. A parent, court-appointed
58 guardian, spouse, or attorney of an individual whose image or
59 voice is the subject of the recording. If an individual whose
60 image or voice is the subject of the recording is deceased,
61 the term also means the personal representative of the estate
62 of the deceased individual; the deceased individual's
63 surviving spouse, parent, or adult child; the deceased
64 individual's attorney; or the parent or guardian of a
65 surviving minor child of the deceased.
66(6)(4) RECORDING. A visual, audio, or visual and audio
67 recording captured by a body-worn camera, a dashboard camera,
68 or any other video or audio recording device operated by or on
69 behalf of a law enforcement agency or law enforcement agency
70 personnel when carrying out law enforcement responsibilities.
71 This term does not include any video or audio recordings of
72 interviews regarding agency internal investigations or
73 interviews or interrogations of suspects or witnesses.
74(7) RELEASE. To provide a copy of a recording."
75"§36-21-212
76(a) Recordings A recording in the custody of a law
77 enforcement agency shall be disclosed to an individual or
78 personal representative only as provided by this article. This
79 article does not apply to the exchange of recordings between
80 law enforcement or prosecuting agenciesdeemed a public record
81 under Section 36-12-40 and subject to public inspection as
82 otherwise provided by law. An individual requesting disclosure
83 the release of a recording must make a written request to the
84 head of the custodial law enforcement agency that states the
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85 date and approximate time of the activity captured in the
86 recording or otherwise identifies the activity with reasonable
87 particularity sufficient to identify the recording to which
88 the request refers.
89(b) Nothing in this article shall limit or restrict the
90 application of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure as they
91 may be applied to the custodial law enforcement agency,
92 including, but not limited to, Rule 45, nor Chapter 21 of
93 Title 12.
94(c) A custodial law enforcement agency may only
95 disclose a recording to the following:
96(1) An individual whose image or voice is the subject
97 of the recording.
98(2) A personal representative of an adult individual
99 whose image or voice is the subject of the recording if the
100 adult individual has consented to the disclosure.
101(3) A personal representative of a minor whose image or
102 voice is the subject of the recording.
103(4) A personal representative of an adult individual
104 under lawful guardianship whose image or voice is the subject
105 of the recording.
106(5) A personal representative of an adult individual
107 who is incapacitated and unable to provide consent to
108 disclosure whose image or voice is the subject of the
109 recording.
110(6) A personal representative of a deceased individual
111 whose image or voice is the subject of the recording.
112(d)(c) When disclosing releasing a recording, the
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113 custodial law enforcement agency shall disclose release only
114 those portions of the recording that are relevant to the
115 individual's request.
116(e) An individual who receives disclosure pursuant to
117 this section shall not record or copy the recording.
118(d)(1) An individual whose request for the release of a
119 recording is denied by a law enforcement agency may file a
120 petition for judicial review in the circuit court of the
121 county where the individual resides or where the law
122 enforcement agency is located.
123(2) A circuit court may uphold a denial to release a
124 recording only if the release would substantially interfere
125 with an ongoing investigation or prosecution, including, but
126 not limited to, endangering the safety of a witness or a
127 confidential source."
128"§36-21-213
129(a) Upon Not more than 30 days after receipt of the
130 written request for disclosurerelease and payment of a
131 reasonable fee, not to exceed the actual cost of producing the
132 recording, as promptly as possible, the custodial law
133 enforcement agency shall do either of the following:
134(1) Disclose Release the portion of the recording
135 relevant to the individual's request.
136(2) Notify the requestor of the custodial law
137 enforcement agency's decision not to disclose release the
138 recording if the release of . A custodial law enforcement
139 agency may choose to not disclose the recording if the
140 disclosure would affect substantially interfere with an
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141 ongoing active law enforcement investigation or prosecution.
142(b) A custodial law enforcement agency may charge a
143 reasonable fee for redaction and editing of a recording."
144Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
145 1, 2026.
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