SPRINGFIELD, IL (Chambana Today) – A new bill awaiting Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature would require the Illinois State Police (ISP) to inform witnesses when their vehicle’s dash cameras continue recording, even if a victim or witness requests that body cameras be turned off during an interaction.
The bill, which passed unanimously in both chambers of the legislature, seeks to ensure transparency and accountability in law enforcement interactions. Under the proposed law, if victims or witnesses request the deactivation of body cameras, officers must notify them that their vehicle’s dash camera will still be recording.
The SAFE-T Act, signed into law in 2021, mandated that all law enforcement agencies in Illinois equip officers with body cameras. However, the act also allowed individuals to request that officers turn off their body cameras in certain situations. The new bill ensures that even when body cameras are off, dash cameras—already mounted in ISP vehicles—will continue recording.
Additionally, the bill addresses a loophole in Illinois’ child pornography laws. It would now criminalize the sharing of nude selfies by adults involving minors, closing a gap that previously allowed such actions to go unpunished.