Florida legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Florida S616: Florida Highway Patrol Body Camera Use
Status: Failed, March 13, 2026
Requiring members of the Florida Highway Patrol to wear a functioning body camera under certain circumstances; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to adopt certain policies and procedures, ensure compliance with certain public records and retention requirements, and provide certain training; providing that an officer who does not comply with certain requirements, policies, and procedures may be subject to disciplinary action, etc.
What the bill says
An act relating to Florida Highway Patrol body camera use; creating s. 321.51, F.S.; defining terms; requiring members of the Florida Highway Patrol to wear a functioning body camera under certain circumstances; specifying that the body camera must remain activated under certain circumstances; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to adopt certain policies and procedures, ensure compliance with certain public records and retention requirements, and provide certain training…
From the introduced text, November 20, 2025:
A bill to be entitled An act relating to Florida Highway Patrol body camera use; creating s. 321.51, F.S.; defining terms; requiring members of the Florida Highway Patrol to wear a functioning body camera under certain circumstances; specifying that the body camera must remain activated under certain circumstances; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to adopt certain policies and procedures, ensure compliance with certain public records and retention requirements, and provide certain training; authorizing the department to contract with third party vendors to provide storage for body camera recordings; providing that an officer who does not comply with certain requirements, policies, and procedures may be subject to disciplinary action; exempting Florida Highway Patrol body camera recordings from specified provisions relating to the interception of wire, electronic, and oral communications; amending s. 943.1718, F.S.; revising the definitions of the terms "law enforcement agency" and "law enforcement officer"; providing an appropriation; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 321.51, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 321.51 Use of body cameras required.-- (1) As used in this section, the term: (a) "Body camera" means a portable electronic recording device that is worn on an officer's person and which records audio and video data in the course of the officer …
Sponsors
- Smith, David (R, HD-038) · primary sponsor
- Smith, Carlos (D, SD-017) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Died in Transportation
- : Introduced
- : Referred to Transportation; Criminal Justice; Appropriations
- : Filed
Subjects: Appropriations, Criminal Justice, Transportation
Common questions
- What is S616?
- S616 is a bill in the Florida Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Florida Highway Patrol Body Camera Use.
- What does S616 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to Florida Highway Patrol body camera use; creating s. 321.51, F.S.; defining terms; requiring members of the Florida Highway Patrol to wear a functioning body camera under certain circumstances; specifying that the body camera must remain activated under certain circumstances; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to adopt certain policies and procedures, ensure compliance with certain public records and retention requirements, and provide certain training…
- What is the status of S616?
- Failed as of March 13, 2026. Latest action: Died in Transportation (March 13, 2026).
- Who sponsored S616?
- Smith, David (R, HD-038), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for S616?
- On the Florida Legislature website: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/616
Source: official Florida record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.