What is HB-972?

HB-972 is a house bill that was passed on July 11, 2016. It's known as the Law Enforcement Recordings bill. It states that law enforcement recordings (such as body camera or dash camera footage) is not public domain and up to law enforcement to release if they choose. It also authorizes needle exchange programs with limited immunity for participants.

Why is this important?

This bill has been a topic of discussion lately with the controversial shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. The Charlotte police department has elected to release the full footage of the shooting, but only after weeks of unrest and protests.

This discussion raises the issue of privacy vs. transparency. On one hand it can help family members and the public have a better understanding of what happened in a controversial situation. On the other, every police interaction will be publicly available. Every traffic stop. Every house call. Every arrest. Think mug shots, but much more intrusive.

Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts has called for the repeal of HB-972. I think there are a lot of really important discussions to be had here.