The Overview

If you are a patient receiving emergency medical or psychological care in California, law enforcement agencies will soon be required to have a process for redacting body-worn camera footage of your treatment. California's Body-worn cameras: policies bill, SB 691, became law when Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed it Sept. 20. ​

The law addresses a tension that has grown as body-worn cameras became standard equipment for police departments across the state: officers responding to medical emergencies routinely record patients at some of their most vulnerable moments, and no uniform process existed to protect that footage. Law enforcement agencies have until July 1, 2027, to update their body-worn camera policies to comply.

What the Law Does

Each law enforcement agency in California that operates a body-worn camera program must update its policy to include a procedure allowing emergency service personnel to request redaction of recordings made while a patient is undergoing medical or psychological evaluation, procedure, or treatment. That covers a wide range of situations, from a paramedic-assisted overdose response to a psychiatric crisis call where officers and medical staff are both on scene.

Agencies must also keep an unredacted copy of any recording for which redaction is requested, consistent with their own policies and procedures. That requirement preserves the footage for any subsequent investigation or legal proceeding while still shielding it from routine public release.

Because the law requires local agencies to adopt new policies, it is classified as a state-mandated local program, meaning the state may reimburse local agencies for costs the mandate creates if the Commission on State Mandates determines such costs apply.

Legislative Status

Sen. Aisha Wahab (D-CA-10) sponsored the bill. The Senate passed the bill 33-0 on Jan. 27, 2026. The Assembly passed it 8-0 on June 9, 2026. The full Assembly then passed it 61-6 on Aug. 27, 2026, and the Senate concurred in Assembly amendments 37-0 on Aug. 30, 2026.

The California State Association of Counties summarized the law as requiring agencies with body-worn camera policies to add a procedure for emergency service personnel to request redaction of recordings of patients receiving medical or psychological care. The Assembly passed the bill 61-6 and the Senate concurred without a single dissenting vote.

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