ATLANTA (West Georgia Times) — Georgia lawmakers are considering legislation that would prevent certain video and audio recordings involving deaths from being released to the general public under the state’s open records law.
The proposal, House Bill 1223, would create a new exception in the Georgia Open Records Act for body camera and dash camera footage captured by law enforcement and other government personnel in cases where someone dies or is depicted in distress before death. The bill is currently before the House Judiciary Committee as part of the 2026 legislative session.
What the Bill Would Do
Under the legislation, footage, audio or images that show a person’s final moments, the actions leading up to a person’s death, or a person in distress prior to death would be exempt from public disclosure. The exemption would apply to recordings made by police body-worn cameras, dash cameras and similar devices held by government agencies.
The bill outlines specific groups who would still be allowed access to these records, including:
- A representative of a deceased person’s estate;
- A parent or legal guardian of a minor depicted in the footage;
- An accused in a criminal case who believes the recording is relevant to their defense;
- A party in a civil action who believes the recording is relevant to that case;
- Attorneys for any of the above.
Recordings could also be ordered released by a court.
Who Sponsored the Bill
House Bill 1223 is sponsored by a bipartisan group of state legislators, including Rep. Joseph Gullett (R-Dallas), Rep. Martin Momtahan (R), Rep. Clint Crowe (R), Rep. Angie O’Steen (D), Rep. Tangie Herring (D) and Rep. Yasmin Neal (D). The bill is part of a broader legislative effort to amend Georgia’s public records law.
Where and When
The legislation was introduced this year in the Georgia House of Representatives and has been referred to committee for review. Lawmakers are debating the measure during the current session of the Georgia General Assembly in Atlanta.
Why the Change Is Proposed
Supporters of the bill say the aim is to prevent videos involving a person’s final moments from being widely disseminated in ways that could be exploitative or disrespectful. Under current law, such recordings are subject to public records requests, and some law enforcement agencies have previously released footage involving use-of-force incidents or fatalities on their own initiative.
The proposed legislation would still allow investigators, families and legal parties in civil or criminal proceedings to view the recordings, but would withhold them from release to the general public unless ordered by a court.
Next Steps
House Bill 1223 must advance through committee and be approved by both chambers of the General Assembly before it can be sent to the governor for consideration. Lawmakers will continue to debate the measure as the session progresses.
