Committee advances bill barring law‑enforcement from disconnecting private surveillance cameras except in exigent cases

Senator Pitcher presented a substitute version of Senate Bill 183 that would prohibit law enforcement or agents acting on behalf of law enforcement from disconnecting privately installed surveillance cameras on private property except when exigent circumstances exist or to protect officer safety during the execution of a warrant.

Adam Craig, who described the bill’s origin, said a Draper family experienced the trauma of an officer disconnecting a home camera after police arrived during an investigation; the family’s son later took his own life. Craig said the disconnecting of privately owned security equipment caused additional distress for the family and that the bill would prevent similar situations while preserving narrowly drawn exceptions for safety and exigency.

Nate Mudder, representing a law‑enforcement legislative committee, said the group remained neutral after working with the sponsor and praised the bill’s language on officer‑safety exceptions.

Committee members had no substantive objections and passed the second substitute of SB 183 by voice vote; the substitute will move forward from committee.