Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Laquan McDonald Camera Act of 2017”.
Laquan McDonald Camera Act of 2017
A BILL
To require, as a condition on the receipt of Federal funds, that States require law enforcement agencies to have in effect a policy regarding the use of body-worn cameras and dashboard cameras.
Sec. 2 Requirement to have body-worn cameras and dashboard camera policies
To be in compliance with this section, a State shall require each law enforcement agency of that State and of a unit of a local government of that State to have in effect a policy requiring and prescribing the conditions for the use of body-worn cameras and dashboard cameras by law enforcement officers of that agency, and to establish procedures providing for the effective enforcement of that policy.
Sec. 3 Eligibility for Federal funds
Covered programs—
In general— For purposes of this Act, a grant program is covered by this section if—
the program is carried out by or under the authority of the Attorney General; and
the program may provide amounts to States for law enforcement purposes.
List— For each fiscal year, the Attorney General shall prepare a list identifying each program that meets the criteria of paragraph (1) and provide that list to each State.
Compliance— For each fiscal year, any amount that a State would otherwise receive for that fiscal year under a grant program covered by this section shall be reduced by 10 percent, unless the State submits to the Attorney General a certification that each law enforcement agency of the State, and of each unit of local government of the State, is in full compliance with the requirements of section 2.
Citizen suits— In the case of a State that has submitted a certification under subsection (b), if that State has made any misrepresentation in that certification pertaining to full compliance with the requirements of section 2, a private citizen who is a resident of that State may bring an action in a Federal district court to compel the Attorney General to take appropriate action under subsection (b). The court shall expedite consideration of such an action, and advance it on the docket to the maximum extent practicable.
Redistribution of amounts— Amounts under a grant program not granted by reason of a reduction under subsection (b), shall be granted to one or more entities not subject to such reduction or such prohibition, subject to the other laws governing that program.
Effective date— The first grants to which subsection (b) applies are grants for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018.