Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman GABRIELA M. MOSQUERA
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblywoman LINDA STENDER
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires board of education to enter into agreement with law enforcement authorities regarding access to live video streams of public school buildings.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning access to school surveillance equipment by law enforcement authorities and supplementing chapter 41 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. If at least one school building of a school district is equipped with video surveillance equipment that is capable of streaming live video wirelessly to a remote location, the board of education shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with local law enforcement authorities providing the authorities with the capacity to activate the equipment and view live streaming video. The memorandum of understanding shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
(1) the designation of individuals who shall be authorized to view live streaming video;
(2) the circumstances under which the designated individuals would view live streaming video; and
(3) a detailed plan for preventing and detecting unauthorized access to live streaming video.
b. In the case of a school building that is located in a municipality in which there is no municipal police department, the board shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with an entity designated by the Superintendent of the State Police.
c. A board shall enter into the memorandum of understanding no later than 180 days following the effective date of this act.
d. Nothing in this section shall be construed as to require the installation of video surveillance equipment capable of streaming live video wirelessly to a remote site.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that if a school building of a school district is equipped with video surveillance equipment that is capable of wirelessly streaming live video to a remote location, the board of education must enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with local law enforcement authorities giving the authorities the ability to activate the equipment and view live streaming videos. In the case of a school building located in a municipality that does not have a municipal police department, then the board would enter into the MOU with an entity designated by the Superintendent of the State Police. The MOU would designate the individuals who would have access to the live streaming video, the circumstances under which the individuals would be authorized to access the video, and a plan for preventing and detecting unauthorized access. The bill would not require the installation of video surveillance equipment that has the capacity to wirelessly stream video to a remote location.