Requires correctional staff to wear and activate body cameras, set rules for recording and access, create an independent oversight board, mandate training and reporting, and establish a grant funded pilot program.

Plain-English Summary: Body Cameras for Correctional Facilities Act (RI)

This bill would require correctional officers and other staff working in Rhode Island's prisons and jails to wear body cameras while on duty and to keep those cameras turned on during interactions with incarcerated individuals. The bill sets specific rules about when recordings must be made, how long footage must be stored, and who is allowed to access it. The goal is to create a clear record of what happens inside correctional facilities.

Beyond the cameras themselves, the bill would establish an independent oversight board — a separate group not controlled by the prison system — to review how the program is working and ensure the rules are being followed. Correctional staff would also be required to receive training on how to properly use the cameras, and facilities would need to submit regular reports on how the program is being implemented. To get things started, the bill calls for a pilot program funded through grants, meaning it would be tested in a limited setting before potentially expanding statewide.

This bill primarily affects people who work in Rhode Island's correctional facilities, people who are incarcerated there, and their families. Staff would have new equipment requirements and responsibilities, while incarcerated individuals and their advocates would have greater documentation of day-to-day interactions. Currently, the bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, which has recommended holding it for further study, meaning it has not yet advanced toward a full vote.