West Virginia SB84: Prohibiting law enforcement from placing surveillance cameras on private property

What the bill says

An act to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §62-1A-12, relating to prohibitions on surveillance cameras used by law enforcement; prohibiting installation of a surveillance camera on private land for purposes of gathering information or evidence of a crime; creating exceptions for consent or a valid search warrant; creating inapplicability to cameras placed in other areas where a law-enforcement officer has a right to be; creating inapplicability in certain exigent circumstances; and creating definitions. ARTICLE 1A. SEARCH AND SEIZURE. §62-1.

From the enrolled text, March 6, 2026:

AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §62-1A-12, relating to prohibitions on surveillance cameras used by law enforcement; prohibiting installation of a surveillance camera on private land for purposes of gathering information or evidence of a crime; creating exceptions for consent or a valid search warrant; creating inapplicability to cameras placed in other areas where a law-enforcement officer has a right to be; creating inapplicability in certain exigent circumstances; and creating definitions. ARTICLE 1A. SEARCH AND SEIZURE. §62-1A-12. Prohibitions on surveillance cameras on private property. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, a law-enforcement officer may not install any surveillance camera on private land for purposes of gathering information or evidence of criminal activity of the owner or occupant of the private land without first obtaining either consent of an owner of the private land or a valid search warrant. (b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section do not prohibit a law-enforcement officer or (2) Installing a surveillance camera on private property where exigent circumstances exist and there is insufficient time to obtain a valid search warrant. (c) For purposes of this section: "Law-enforcement officer" has the same meaning as that term is defined in §30-29-1 of this code. "Private land" means posted land, …

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