A bill introduced in the Texas House of Representatives would make it illegal for private citizens to record police within 25 feet.
House Bill 2918, introduced by state Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) on Tuesday, would make the offense a misdemeanor. Citizens who are armed would not be permitted to record police activity within 100 feet of an officer, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Only representatives of radio or TV organizations that hold an FCC license, newspapers and magazines would have the right to record police.
If we do not have the right to film policemen making an arrest, then it takes away our right of accountability. Just like in the case where the young police officer shot an unarmed citizen and lied and said the citizen tried to take away his stun gun. If a citizen had not recorded him, then he would have gotten away with it and be free on the streets to commit another crime. Police are public servants, and if they have nothing to hide, then why should they mind if they are being filmed. Even if they have body cameras, they have control to stop filming if they are dong something illegal, and then turning the film back on when it is convenient for them to do so.
Please sign this petition and allow Texas lawmakers know that we will not allow them to take away this basic right.
A bill introduced in the Texas House of Representatives would make it illegal for private citizens to record police within 25 feet.
House Bill 2918, introduced by state Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) on Tuesday, would make the offense a misdemeanor. Citizens who are armed would not be permitted to record police activity within 100 feet of an officer, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Only representatives of radio or TV organizations that hold an FCC license, newspapers and magazines would have the right to record police.
The legislator disagreed with people on Twitter who said he's seeking to make all filming of cops illegal.
"My bill ... just asks filmers to stand back a little so as not to interfere with law enforcement," Villalba tweeted.
The bill would go against precedent set in 2011 by an appeals court, which found that citizens are allowed to record police, according to the ACLU.
