INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana Senate panel is holding off on changing and voting on a bill allowing law enforcement agencies to withhold police video from the public.
A proposed change to the bill would require agencies to justify keeping video private because it might harm someone or influence a court trial. That would switch the burden of proof from the original language requiring a person requesting the video to prove it would not cause harm.
Bill sponsor Republican Sen. Rodric Bray of Martinsville says the amendment isn’t ready yet. He doesn’t expect any other major bill changes.
Supporters of the original proposal say it would protect the privacy of people featured in video. But media groups and public access advocates argue withholding video would hurt transparency within law enforcement agencies.
Police body cam video bill, up for amend & vote in Sen. Judiciary Cmte today, has been pushed to next week…which is last week for cmtes.
— Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) February 17, 2016
