House Bill 26-031

This bill requires law enforcement agencies to obtain a search warrant before accessing or reviewing surveillance footage, including recordings from traffic cameras, security cameras, and automated license plate reader systems. The warrant must be supported by probable cause and must clearly define the location of the camera, the time period of the footage requested, and the specific offense under investigation. The bill is intended to protect individuals’ privacy rights by ensuring that access to surveillance data is subject to judicial oversight and limited in scope.

The bill provides a narrow exception for emergency situations in which there is an immediate threat to life, serious bodily harm, or risk of evidence destruction, allowing law enforcement to access footage without a warrant. In such cases, agencies must seek judicial approval within forty-eight hours or risk the evidence being ruled inadmissible. The measure also prohibits broad or generalized searches of surveillance systems without individualized suspicion and establishes that any evidence obtained in violation of these requirements may not be used in court.